Akmenrags Lighthouse

Akmenrags, the stone horn, is a low cape on the Kurzeme coast where a shoal of stone runs out under the water for around two kilometres, shallow enough that ships have grounded on it repeatedly, which is why a light was put here; the present tower dates from 1921, thirty-seven metres of brick painted white, replacing earlier structures. It is one of the few Latvian lighthouses that can be climbed in season, with a spiral stair to the gallery and a view along the empty coast and out over the shoal. The beach below is stony, the coast exposed, and the surroundings are pine forest and dune with almost no development.

History

The present tower was built in 1921 to replace an earlier lighthouse, and the reef has caused several shipwrecks, among them that of the steamer Saratow in September 1923 (Wikipedia, Akmeņrags Lighthouse).

The main sights

• The 1921 tower - the brick lighthouse and its gallery.
• The shoal - the stone bank running out under the water.
• The empty coast - the beach and pine either side of the cape.
• The climb - the stair to the top when the tower is open.

When to go

May to September, when the tower is open to climb; hours are seasonal and it is closed in winter. The coast is windy year round and the light is best in the evening.

Before you go

Climbing access is seasonal and hours limited. The stair is narrow and steep. The beach is stony rather than sand. Facilities at the site are minimal.

Nearby

Pavilosta lies north; Liepaja is south.

Key facts