YvonNL's Fotothing

The current brick built lighthouse at Urk dates back to 1845. The first stone was laid on 18th May 1844. Fires had previously been lit on Urk since 1617. Originally this was a coal fire, which acted as a beacon not only for the fishermen from Urk but also for ships sailing from Amsterdam to the Northsea. In 1844 the existing beacon was demolished to be replaced in a different location by a new tower.
Urk is equipped with a 220V/250W system. It is the only lighthouse in the IJsselmeer area with a rotating light. The lamp actually stands still while the lens rotates. Because the iron lantern was in a poor condition, it was decided in 1836 to equip the tower with a small rotating catadioptric light unit with a lantern. The light was lit for the first time on 15th November 1837. The costs associated with the new lighting system amounted to 5,400 Guilders.