Hammeren Lighthouse (Hammeren Fyr), Bornholm

A granite beacon above the Baltic

Hammeren Lighthouse, or Hammeren Fyr, sits on the highest point of Hammerknuden, the hammer-shaped granite promontory that forms Bornholm’s rugged northwestern tip. Perched 82 meters above sea level on Ørnebjerget, the relatively modest stone tower feels dramatically elevated as it looks out over open Baltic waters and the sculpted coastline below. Its position makes it both a landmark for sailors and a visual anchor for hikers exploring this distinctive corner of the island. Completed in 1872, the lighthouse was constructed from granite quarried only a few hundred meters away, its stout circular form and adjoining keeper’s house blending seamlessly into the rocky landscape. For more than a century it guided shipping through the busy sea lanes between Bornholm and southern Sweden, before being taken out of regular service in 1990. A modern light once again shines from the lantern, but today its main role is to illuminate the area’s history rather than warn passing ships.

From working light to open lookout

The decommissioning of Hammeren Fyr did not end its story. The building now belongs to the Danish Nature Agency and is open to the public in the summer half of the year, generally from morning until sunset when weather allows. Entry to both the grounds and the tower is free, a rare chance to explore a historic lighthouse without a ticket barrier. The interior retains the character of a working light, from the compact stairwell to the old keeper’s office tucked just below the lantern. The climb to the top is short but atmospheric, a tight spiral that opens suddenly onto the lantern balcony. From here the view is the real attraction: to one side the ruins of Hammershus castle crown another cliff, while below you the rift valley holds Bornholm’s largest lake, Hammersø. On clear days the horizon stretches toward Christiansø and the Swedish coastline, and you can trace Bornholm’s northern shore from Sandvig and Allinge to the distant granite quarries and fishing harbours.

Part of a wider maritime story

Hammeren Lighthouse is only one chapter in the area’s seafaring narrative. Its high placement meant that in low cloud or dense fog the beam could disappear, leaving ships without a reliable mark. To solve this, the lower Hammerodde Lighthouse was added at the northernmost tip of Bornholm in 1895, closer to sea level and visible when Hammeren’s light was hidden. For nearly a hundred years the two towers worked together, one high, one low, guiding vessels past reefs and skerries along this intricate rocky coast. The lighthouse also bears the imprint of industrial history. The quarries that supplied its building stones later expanded, carving out basins that filled with clear water to become lakes such as Krystalsøen and Opalsøen. From Hammeren Fyr you can see these relics of the granite trade punctuating the heath and heather, a reminder that the headland is both natural landscape and worked terrain shaped by generations of local stonemasons.

Walking the heather-clad headland

Reaching the lighthouse usually involves at least a short walk, and the approach is part of the experience. Hammerknuden is laced with footpaths that weave through heather, juniper and low pines, occasionally breaking out onto bare rock with sudden views of sea and cliff. Some trails follow the more sheltered inland side past Hammersø and Opalsø, while others trace the wild outer rim above steep drops and sea stacks. The area around the tower offers several informal vantage points beyond the lantern itself. You can wander a little from the building to find quieter rocks for sitting and watching passing ships or sea birds riding the updrafts along the cliffs. In late summer the heather blooms purple around the lighthouse, softening the granite and filling the air with a faint honeyed scent as wind rolls in from the Baltic.

Light, weather and changing moods

Because of its exposure, Hammeren Fyr feels different in every season and type of weather. On bright days the Baltic takes on shifting shades of blue and green, with the white tower standing out against a sharp horizon and distant silhouettes of Sweden. In windier conditions, waves crash against the western cliffs and the sound of surf drifts up to the headland, giving the site a wilder, more dramatic edge. Cloud, too, plays a role here. The same low mist that once obscured Hammeren’s beam can wrap the headland in fast-moving fog, briefly hiding and then revealing the tower and surrounding rocks. At sunset the lantern platform becomes a natural viewing point, with long light falling across Hammershus and the north coast. Even when the lighthouse is closed, simply circling it along the paths and watching how sky, sea and stone interact offers a strong sense of Bornholm’s maritime character and the enduring presence of this granite guardian above the Baltic.