Fyrskibet nr. XVII Gedser Rev, Helsingør

A floating chapter of Danish maritime history

Fyrskibet nr. XVII “Gedser Rev” is one of Denmark’s best-known historical lightships, launched in 1895 to mark dangerous shoals and guide ships safely along the busy waters of Øresund and the Baltic. For its first decades it lay at Lappegrunden north of Helsingør, serving as a bright, reliable point of reference for captains approaching the narrow sound. From 1921 the ship was moved to the treacherous waters off Gedser, Denmark’s southernmost point, where it took on the name Gedser Rev. Here it rode out storms and harsh winters, anchored in open sea while its rotating lantern and fog signals warned passing traffic of shallow reefs and shifting sandbanks.

Life on board a lighthouse at sea

Stepping onto the deck, you’re entering what was once a self-contained world for the lightship’s crew. Sailors lived for weeks at a time in compact quarters below deck, maintaining the lantern, engines and signal equipment while the ship held its fixed position on heavy chains. Supplies, fresh water and news from land arrived only periodically, giving the vessel an almost outpost-like atmosphere. Details such as sturdy timber work, brass fittings and the high lantern mast evoke the ship’s working past. You can picture crew members on icy night watches, checking the light and listening for foghorns and bells from other ships feeling their way through darkness and mist.

Cold War front line and escapes to freedom

During the Cold War, Gedser Rev occupied a strategic spot between East and West. In the early 1960s the lightship became an unofficial lifeline for people fleeing East Germany. Desperate refugees set out across the Baltic in small, improvised boats, aiming for the recognizable silhouette and light of the ship. When they made it to the hull, the crew could bring them aboard and help them reach safety on Danish soil. These dramatic crossings have given the vessel a powerful symbolic role: not only as a guide for commercial shipping, but also as a beacon of hope for those seeking freedom. Stories of these escapes are among the most moving aspects of the ship’s legacy.

From working vessel to cultural landmark

After being retired from active service in the 1970s, the lightship was taken over by the National Museum and restored with support from Danish foundations. For years it was a recognizable red-and-white landmark in Copenhagen’s Nyhavn, where its classic profile and towering mast formed part of the old harbor backdrop. More recently, the ship found a new home in Helsingør’s cultural harbor, moored close to Kronborg Castle and the M/S Maritime Museum. Here it forms part of a broader maritime ensemble, linking the region’s seafaring past with contemporary waterfront life and architecture.

Experiencing the ship in Helsingør harbor

Seen up close at Allegade and the surrounding quay, Fyrskibet nr. XVII impresses with its compact yet powerful hull, high lantern mast and the distinctive red paintwork associated with Danish lightships. The setting in Helsingør’s historic harbor lets you appreciate how such vessels once fitted naturally into a working port filled with cargo steamers, ferries and fishing boats. Even when the ship itself is not open for interior visits, the exterior offers plenty to take in: the arrangement of anchors and chains, the lantern structure, and the contrast between the old wooden vessel and the sharp, modern lines of the nearby maritime museum. On a gray day with low clouds over the Øresund, it is easy to imagine the conditions the ship once faced on open sea.

A preserved icon of seafaring heritage

Today, Fyrskibet nr. XVII “Gedser Rev” is maintained as an important piece of Danish cultural heritage, representing more than 70 years of service at sea. Its story brings together navigation, shipbuilding, everyday sailor life and the human drama of Cold War escapes. For visitors to Helsingør, the ship adds a tangible, tactile dimension to the city’s maritime character. It invites you to pause on the quay, look up at the lantern mast and reflect on the thousands of journeys—commercial, military and personal—that once depended on this solitary light far from land.