Kiipsaare tuletorn

Kiipsaare tuletorn / Описание

The Kiipsaare “retired” lighthouse is located on the NW Coast of Saaremaa Island on the Harilaid peninsula. The first pyramid shaped beacon was built on northern side of the same peninsula during World War I. A new reinforced concrete lighthouse was erected in 1933, built by the construction company Maximilian Arronet & Otto de Fries. The previous Undva beacon was demolished soon after. From 1992 to 2009 the lighthouse functioned as a daymark, but is no more used as a navigational aid. Despite losing its initial purpose, the lighthouse gained reputation of becoming the Pisa tower of Estonia. The constantly rising sea level reached the lighthouse in the 1990s, and gradually caused the tower to tilt. But not for long, as the waves have currently started to hollow out the soil from the other side, which has reversed the process. The tilted tower has nevertheless secured its place in history as it was featured in the film “Somnambuul” by Sulev Keedus in 2003.