Lighthouses - Germany / Federal Republic of Germany 2005 - 45 Euro Cent

In the area of ​​the Brunsbüttel lock system, the moles 1 and 2 since 1895 the Elbseitige boundary of access to the Old lock of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbüttel. On each mole head is a beacon as a navigation point and navigational aid for shipping. Despite being extensively renovated, the identical beacons of Molen 1 and 2, which are under monument protection today, have been in operation since 1895 in their original design. The white beacon Mole 1 rests with its octagonal gallery tower on a pedestal made of granite masonry. In addition to the actual beacon, the tower's interior houses other operational facilities for fog, lighting the pier, cameras for monitoring ship traffic and the public address system. A cast-iron spiral staircase with ornaments of Art Nouveau leads to the beacon in the spire. Navigation visual navigation aids have become less important as a result of technological progress, especially in automatic positioning and identification systems. As a result, some lighthouses are expendable and are used elsewhere today. Not so in Brunsbüttel. In the difficult area of ​​the Elbe with the entrances to the Kiel Canal, the classic visual navigation aid still fulfills its purpose.