Kugelbake, Cuxhaven

The Kugelbake is a historic aid to navigation in the city of Cuxhaven, Germany, at the northernmost point of Lower Saxony, where the River Elbe flows into the North Sea. In the Low German dialect of the Middle Ages, the term bake referred to all navigational aids – including lighthouses. About 30 meters high and built of wood, the Kugelbake is the principal landmark of Cuxhaven; since 1913, it has been depicted on the city's coat of arms. Large wooden structures guiding mariners have stood on this spot for over 300 years.PositionThe Kugelbake stands at a busy shipping lane in the Cuxhaven borough of Döse and was once a vital nautical landmark. At this point, the estuary is about 18 km wide. Geographically speaking, the Elbe ends here and the North Sea begins. From a nautical point of view, the Kugelbake can be said to separate the Outer and Lower portions of the Elbe. It is also regarded as the symbolic separation between the Elbe and Weser estuaries. Its distinctive design, well known to skippers, is now a popular tourist destination.Height above MHW: 29.63mHistorythumb The first navigational aid was built on this spot around 1703 at the instigation of the Pilot Inspector Paul Allers after an existing bearing, a group of trees, was swept away by a fierce storm surge. It was constructed of wood and had a short service life due to the harsh weather and floods common on the point. It was rebuilt approximately every 30 years, the first reconstruction taking place around 1737.