Hjelm (island)

Hjelm

Hjelm seen from Djursland
Geography
Location Kattegat
Area 0.62 km2 (0.24 sq mi)
Highest elevation 39 m (128 ft)
Highest point Fyrbakken
Administration
Demographics
Population 0
Hjelm Lighthouse

Hjelm Lighthouse
Coordinates 56°08′00″N 10°48′18″E / 56.133369°N 10.805016°E / 56.133369; 10.805016
Year first constructed 1856
Construction masonry tower
Tower shape cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings / pattern white tower, red lantern dome
Height 18 metres (59 ft)
Focal height 61 metres (200 ft)
Light source solar power
Characteristic white, red or green light, depending on direction, 4 s on, 4 s off
Admiralty number C0262
NGA number 2208
ARLHS number DEN-070
Denmark number DFL-1900[1]

Hjelm is a small Danish unpopulated island located in the Kattegat 10 km (6 mi) south-east from Ebeltoft.

In 2009, the island was included in Mols Bjerge National Park. Most of the island is privately owned.

The name Hjelm literally translates to Helmet in English. The island has also been referred to as Helm in English.[2]

History

Old picture of Hjelm

There have been found evidence of human activity on Hjelm, as early as the Stone Ages, but it first entered Denmarks history in 1287, when the outlawed Marsk Stig fled to this barren island, after the murder of Erik Klipping the year before. The outlawed sought help and assistance from the Norwegian king Eric "Priest Hater" and he supplied them with a total of three fortresses, various fortifications, ships and troops. Recent archaeological excavations have revealed, that in the year of 1289 Marsk Stig and his men attacked and demolished the royal castle of Brattingsborg on the island of Samsø, just south of Hjelm. [3] With that neighbouring threat out of the way, the outlaws conducted piracy and counterfeiting from Hjelm until 1295. Marsk Stig died on the island in December 1293 of unknown causes, but it was not until 1306, that Erik Menved felt strong enough to take back the small island.

Today there is only an automated solar-powered lighthouse on Hjelm.

See also

Literature

References

  1. ↑ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Denmark: Northeast Jylland". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  2. ↑ Marsk Stig, A Ballad George Borrow. readbooksonline.
  3. ↑ Gammel Brattingsborg The National Museum of Denmark. English pdf-translation available.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hjelm.

Coordinates: 56°08′00″N 10°48′10″E / 56.13333°N 10.80278°E / 56.13333; 10.80278


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, February 23, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.