Special landmarks: Kiel-Holtenau – a monument to two emperors and their canal

Drawing inspiration from antiquity, the 19th century had a penchant for female figures who personified grand concepts: Victoria, for example, the goddess of victory. Or Germania, the mythical symbol of Germany. The bronze relief above the entrance to the Kiel-Holtenau lighthouse also features two such figures: the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, depicted as mermaids joining hands. They symbolised the connection between the two seas via the new Kaiser Wilhelm Canal. For the tower was not merely a navigational aid. It was also the ‘crowning glory’ of the century’s great engineering feat – and a monument.

One canal and two emperors

The foundation stone for this monumental project was laid in 1887 by Emperor Wilhelm I in the base of the lighthouse; in the entrance hall, a polished plaque in the spirit of the age still serves today as a reminder of the reasons behind the canal’s construction: “For the glory of Germany, for its everlasting welfare, for the greatness and power of the Empire.”

• ​Name: Kiel-Holtenau Lighthouse, Germany
• Location: Kiel Fjord, Baltic Sea
• Coordinates: 54°22'09.3"N, 010°09'14.2"E
• Tower height: 20 m
• Flame height: 22 m
• Code: Oc (3) WG 12 s [(1)+2+(1)+2+(1)+5 s]

The artificial waterway proved to be an economic success; today it is the busiest in the world. However, military considerations also played a major role from the outset. And they became increasingly important. This was particularly true of the thinking of Wilhelm II, the founder’s grandson, who had already been on the throne for seven years when the canal was completed in 1895 and who claimed a ‘place in the sun’ for Germany, secured by naval power.

A second plaque commemorates the opening ceremony as well as the young emperor’s global ambitions: “Emperor Wilhelm II officially opened the Kiel Canal and handed it over to international shipping on 21 June 1895”. An interesting detail: at the time of its opening, the canal was actually called by its present name – it was only named after the monarch’s grandfather the following day.

A very mundane task

Given all the commemoration, the practical role of the Kiel-Holtenau lighthouse is refreshingly mundane: together with other beacons, it marks one of the two approaches to the Kiel Canal, in this case the northern bank where it meets the Baltic Sea. And it has been doing so ever since it was commissioned on the day the canal opened, right up to the present day.

Its classical design, with its elaborate brick façade, which was extensively renovated in 1995 to mark its 100th anniversary, makes it one of Germany’s most striking landmarks. Its role as a monument to two emperors, however, is no longer of great significance – just like the once grandiose ambitions of the monarchs themselves.

More special lighthouses

• Ireland: Fastnet – Rocks of Tears and Triumphs
• Germany: Heligoland – Its light is a reminder of darker times
• Norway: Lindesnes – Where Norway’s oldest fire burns