Gertjan De Boer at the Stavoren Lighthouse in Netherlands, close to where he grew up. Courtesy of Gertjan De Boer.

The European country of the Netherlands conjures images of canals, fields of tulips, and windmills. But the country is also home to dozens of historic lighthouses, and some of them are major tourist attractions. Dutch lighthouse history reaches all the way back to the 14th century.

Brandaris Lighthouse on the island of Terschelling, in Friesland, is the oldest lighthouse in the Netherlands. The first lighthouse was built here in 1323 and the current tower was built in 1594. Courtesy of the Dutch Lighthouse Association.

The Dutch Lighthouse Association was founded in 1992 with the objective of uniting people with a fascination for lighthouses. In more recent years the Association has worked to preserve and repurpose historic maritime structures in the Netherlands, including lighthouses and lightships. Four times each year the Association publishes a magazine with articles about lighthouses and their preservation.

Getjan de Boer is a board member of the Dutch Lighthouse Association. He works in heritage preservation at the National Dutch Heritage Agency. And he’s also currently working on a book on the lights of the Scheldt River.

Dutch Lighthouse Association

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