Pape lighthouse
The Pape Lighthouse (Latvian: Papes bāka) is a lighthouse located on the Latvian coast of the Baltic Sea.
| Pape lighthouse | |
| Location | Rucava Municipality, Latvia |
| Year first constructed | 1890 (first) |
| Year first lit | 1910 (current) |
| Construction | steel tower |
| Tower shape | square pyramidal skeletal tower and central cylinder with double balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, red balcony and lantern |
| Tower height | 22 metres (72 ft) |
| Focal height | 26 metres (85 ft) |
| Range | 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) |
History
The lighthouse was built in 1910; in a place of a former lighthouse (which existed since 1887); on the southernmost tip of Latvia's coast to the Baltic Sea. During its early existence (up until the end of World War I), the lighthouse was known as a boundary beacon - as the lighthouse guided ships to the port of Liepāja, on the border of the Russian Empire and Prussia. The current lighthouse is a tube-like cylinder, supported by a riveting iron construction. Currently the lighthouse is closed to visitors, although Emilis Melngailis - a famous Latvian composer, stayed overtnight during his folklore expedition.
en.wikipedia.org
Built in 1910, the Pape lighthouse is located at the southernmost point of Latvia, not far from the Lithuanian border. Out of all Latvia’s lighthouses it is the closest one to the sea, which is threatening its existence. The first wooden lighthouse tower was erected here as far back as 1887. At that time it was ordinarily called a Boundary beacon, and the reason for that was the near-by border between tsarist Russia and Prussia. Its light guided ships to the port of Liepāja. The modern lighthouse is a white iron cylinder sustained by a riveted iron frame construction. Though the lighthouse is now closed to visitors, back in 1923 a famous Latvian composer Emilis Melngailis once stayed overnight here, during his folklore expedition.
Andris Cekuls
bakas.lv/en
