The old lighthouse in Hel

The headland of the Hel Peninsula was a dangerous place on the route to the port of Gdańsk due to the numerous shoals in this area. The tower of the lighthouse was built in 1827 and stood until September 1939, when it was blown up by the defenders of Hel.

The current lighthouse was built in 1942. Its height is 41.7 m and its range of light 18 nautical miles.

Next to the building there is the Lighthouse Keepers’ House from the mid-19th century. 19th century, which after restoration serves as a guesthouse. The Lighthouse was opened to visitors only in 1994, because previously it was a militarized area, inaccessible to ordinary citizens. The over forty-meter-high facility consists of an octagonal tower made of dark red brick, and from its top there is a view of the panorama of Hel, the Bay of Gdańsk and the sea.