Hohe Weg Lighthouse

Hohe Weg is an offshore lighthouse standing on a sandbank in the Wadden Sea, 25 kilometres northwest of Bremerhaven. It marks the outer Weser estuary, where the river meets the North Sea. The sandbank, also called Hohe Weg, lies three kilometres south of the island Mellum and twenty kilometres north of the mainland. At high tide the lighthouse is surrounded by water, while at low tide the sandbank appears and connects it to the seabed. Since 1856 it has guided ships along this busy shipping route.

The lighthouse began as a wooden signal tower in 1783, known as the Bremer Bake, but rising traffic led to plans for a permanent stone structure. Work started in 1854 and finished two years later, built only during low tide when the sandbank was exposed. In the 1960s radar, directional radio antennas and a new lantern were added to improve safety. By 1973 the light was fully automated and the last keeper left, though the tower still serves as an emergency shelter for hikers.

Visitors reach the lighthouse only by boat, usually from Bremerhaven, and see a robust stone tower with a lantern room at the top. The surrounding Wadden Sea is a vast tidal flat, rich in birds and marine life. From the base at low tide, the sand stretches away to the horizon, while at high tide the water laps against the tower’s granite blocks. The lighthouse keeps its 1856 light flashing every few seconds, guiding vessels day and night.