Tahkuna Lighthouse

Tahkuna lighthouse stands at the northernmost point of Hiiumaa, a cast-iron tower of about forty-three metres erected in 1875, made in sections in France and assembled on site, which makes it one of the older iron lighthouses in the Baltic. It can be climbed in season by an internal spiral stair for a view over the peninsula, the pine forest and the sea. The point around it is low, wooded and boulder-strewn, with a memorial to the Estonia ferry disaster of 1994 standing nearby, and remains of coastal defences in the trees. Kopu lighthouse, older and better known, is on the same island to the west.

History

Work on the lighthouse began in 1873. Its metal structure was designed by the British engineer Alexander Gordon and prefabricated in France that year, then erected on the site in 1875; at 42.6 metres it is the tallest lighthouse of its type in Estonia, and it has stood unchanged since it was built (Wikipedia, Tahkuna Lighthouse).

Highlights

• The iron tower - the 1875 prefabricated lighthouse.
• The view from the top - the peninsula, forest and sea from the gallery.
• The Estonia memorial - the monument near the point.
• Boulder shore - the low rocky coast around the headland.

When to go

May to September, when the tower is open to climb; it is closed outside the season. Clear days give the best view. The road out from Kardla is easy but the last stretch is unsurfaced.

Things to know

Climbing access is seasonal with limited hours. The stair is narrow and steep. The point is exposed and windy. Facilities are a small kiosk in season and nothing more.

Nearby

Kardla lies south; Kopu lighthouse is west on the same island.

Key facts