120-year-old Danish lighthouse reopens with stunning light display after it was moved on WHEELS 260ft from the shore to save it from being washed into the sea
- Rubjerg Knude lighthouse was moved from the cliff edge in Jutland, Denmark, last month after erosion
- When it was built it was 260ft from the coastline, before the move it was only 20ft away
- Locals turned up to see the 120-year-old structure reopen with a stunning blue light display
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A 120-year-old lighthouse which was moved on wheels away from the eroding coastline in Denmark has reopened.
The Rubjerg Knude lighthouse was transported 260ft away from the North Sea last month after it became threatened by the erosion.
And last night, the 76ft tall structure in Jutland on the island of Egtved reopened with a stunning blue light display.
A picture taken with a drone shows spectators watching the Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse being moved in Jutland, Denmark
he 120-year-old lighthouse was put on wheels and rails in an attempt to move it some away from the North Sea
The Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse has now re-opened after the 120-year-old structure was moved 260ft away from the coastline
Locals queued up to see the reopening after what was a monumental feat in moving the old building.
When the lighthouse was first lit in 1900 it was 660ft from the coast, now it was only about 20ft away before the move.
Local mayor Arne Boelt said at the time ‘many things can go wrong’ when moving the defunct lighthouse, weighing about 1,000 tonnes and sitting atop a cliff 60 meters (200 feet) above sea level.
‘But it’s worth the risk … the alternative would to dismantle the lighthouse.’
Environment Minister Lea Wermelin has called the white, square lighthouse ‘a national treasure’ to explain why ministry spent £575,000 (five million kroner) to save it. Boelt and the town of Hjoerring also have chipped in to foot the bill.
The 1,000-tonne stone lighthouse is put on roller blades and moved through the dunes to a safer position
Locals queued up to see the reopening after what was a monumental feat in moving the old building on wheels and rails
The 120-year-old lighthouse was moved to save it from coastal erosion on the northwest of the country
The lighthouse was put on wheels and rails in an attempt to move it some 263 feet (80 meters) away from the North Sea
Last night, the 76ft tall structure on the island of Egtved delighted locals with a stunning blue light display to mark its reopening
The lighthouse ceased operating in 1968 and was briefly turned into a museum, including an exhibit about the structure’s struggle against sand drift.
In the end, it was closed because of shifting sands which slowly buried the two buildings adjacent to the lighthouse. The lighthouse, however, still gets more than 250,000 visitors each year.
The move was broadcast live on major Danish news outlets. Thirty minutes into the operation, the lighthouse had been moved 1.4 meters.
The area is known for constantly shifting sands and an eroding coastline.
In 2008, a nearby church was dismantled to prevent it from falling into the sea. The Romanesque Maarup Church, built on a cliff around 1250, was picked for scenes in ‘Babette’s Feast,’ which in 1987 became the first Danish film to win the Oscar for best foreign language film.
Large hydraulic computer controlled pistons pushed the lighthouse to safer ground in a monumental £575,000 move
The lighthouse ceased operating in 1968 and was briefly turned into a museum, including an exhibit about the structure’s struggle against sand drift
The move was broadcast live on major Danish news outlets. Thirty minutes into the operation, the lighthouse had been moved 1.4 meters
When the lighthouse was first lit in 1900 it was 660ft from the coast, now it was only about 20ft away before the move
Rubjerg Knude lighthouse was put on roller blades and moved around inland through the dunes to a safe position