best known symbols tourist sights island oldest world having continuous use completion lighthouse marks swedish warns ships away shoreline light navigation far nautical miles away radar lighthouse largely took role navigation aid previously known swedish lighthouse design location lighthouse built highest island english metres height building metres light metres sea level making highest coastal light baltic_sea shape square massive directions principal divisions compass tower laid solely stone height metres outside layer walls supported lime mortar body built mortar body tower contains roughly cubic metres stone total weight reaching tonnes local limestone glacial erratic stones building material originally base tower solid stone rooms lighthouse reached external wooden stairs later replaced iron ones reconstruction 1800s cut tower remained use construction history construction original tower important east west shipping lane baltic_sea passed year merchants seeking permission mark peninsula outstanding landmark asked bishop let build landmark peninsula bishop control action real results meeting applied bishop permission build beacon april bishop iii agreed allow massive stone pillar openings cover building costs council establish special lighthouse tax sum complete building beacon supposed start summer building stopped master started war lasted spring purchase delivery building materials began autumn year plague broke stopping work building work discontinued magistrate charge building died december account city council contain entries lighthouse showing money spent beacon october amounts majority work took place later couple bigger expenditures beacon fire lit autumn simply tower metre high metre wide tower visible clear day kilometres offshore reconstruction rebuilding august wooden staircase built outside wall tower open iron fire originally planned burn coal lighthouse high transport costs coal wood instead fire consumed year day navigation period quantity great led peninsula team guard night storms extinguished fire rule passed decreed fire strong yards high count bought island took management lighthouse height extended wooden stairs replaced iron staircase light visible far kilometres away lit hour sun set extinguished hour sunrise russian_empire took administration lighthouse major reconstruction tower began stone staircase cut southern plus room large team men upper subsidiary rooms room metres ground room housed oil lamps silver brass lamps burned oil requiring tonnes yearly crack upper lighthouse called extensive reconstruction saw tower pulled rebuilt tower gained final height metres wooden structure lamp chimneys built optical devices lighthouse came navy control maintenance rules laid fire lit extinguished strict accordance sunrise sunset cloudy weather lighthouse keepers consult calendar necessary data time fire kept burning nightly july months year naval reforms grand duke russia demanded modernization lighthouse novel device manufactured paris installed rotated speed revolution minutes weight system device lamp concentric light sources lens lamp consumed kilograms oil hourly fuel pump powered mechanism said visible nautical miles away team seven serviced lighthouse required near light times staircase wooden boards tin sheets telegraph installation rescue stations established near lighthouse year established worked replaced telephone twentieth century new light system bought paris world fair million gold new apparatus including light chamber lamp gas mantle heavy cast iron system floated rotated bath mercury acted bearing bath contained roughly kilograms mercury poisonous mercury lighthouse decades children surrounding villages playing light system set rotation suspended kilograms load needed hours installed repairs lighthouse underwent major repairs anniversary renovations tower painted high quality oil paint main contributor deterioration tower subsequent decades thick layers paint allow limestone dry mortar began deteriorate rapidly lighthouse connected electricity grid german bombers targeted lighthouse august structure optical system destroyed world war optical systems tested generators installed stationary electric light system new rotating light system installed making lighthouse fully automated use experimental system ukraine installed rotation mechanism optical system novel solution electric motors uses revolving magnetic field instead brought increase efficiency light lamp light system use progressing deterioration lighthouse underwent frequent repairs major repairs major overhaul walls partially 1980s stop deterioration centimetres thick reinforced concrete dress built support foundation walls small air channels left concrete lighthouse renovated current status lost important role primary navigation aid radar lighthouse took duties recreational craft small fishing vessels continue rely navigating backup electronic navigation systems active aid navigation future ensured status protected cultural memorial enduring popularity memorable shape symbol major tourist attraction tower open tourists nearby lighthouse lighthouse commemorated postage stamp
Kõpu Lighthouse