Dornbusch Lighthouse in the blue hour

Dornbusch Lighthouse is the geographical and tourist highlight of Hiddensee island, located on the highland in the north of the island. To reach it, you have to conquer a mighty 72 metres in altitude. For the daily caravan of visitors who explore the island by bike or on foot in summer, this sometimes seems to be quite a challenge. If the panorama from the surrounding viewpoints isn’t enough, you can climb another 20 metres up 102 steps to the viewing platform.

The highland surrounding the lighthouse is called Dornbusch, dates back to the Ice Age 12,500 years ago, and is part of the Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft National Park. After the entire forest was cleared and burned in the 17th century, today vast forest areas and bushland, as well as grass and pastureland, cover the hilly landscape and the cliff coast. The lighthouse was built in 1888, and from its platform, the view stretches far across to Rügen, Stralsund, or Fischland-Zingst-Darß. Towards evening, when the lighthouse is closed and day-trippers have left the island, it becomes quieter in Dornbusch, and the place unfolds a magical atmosphere in the twilight.

More pictures of Hiddensee island can also be found in the Germany Picture Gallery.