| Vuurtoreneiland | |
| Location | Durgerdam, Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | |
| Year first constructed | 1893 (current tower) |
| Deactivated | 2003, reactivated 2005 |
| Construction | cast iron |
| Height | 19,5 m |
| Focal height | 18 m |
| Intensity | 2,850,000 cd |
| Range | 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) (white) 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) (red) |
| Characteristic | Oc WR 5s |
| Netherlands number | 1710 |
Vuurtoreneiland ("Lighthouse Island") is a small island in the IJmeer, the Netherlands, just off the coast of Durgerdam. The island's main function is as a base for a lighthouse; a military fort on the island was abandoned in the 1930s.
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The island's lighthouse has been in operation since 1700; it is named for the opposite point on the mainland, Hoek van 't IJ, or "Corner of the IJ". The first lighthouse was a square, stone building. In 1809 the island was equipped with a military post, which in 1844 was expanded to a real fort, which in 1883 became part of the Stelling van Amsterdam. The lighthouse was replaced with a cast-iron construction in 1893, which is still standing.
At the end of the nineteenth century, a bomb-proof building and artillery battery were built on the island, but its five guns were moved to Den Helder in 1904. In 1959 it was delisted as a stronghold, but the last soldiers had left long before. In 1981, the island was listed as a Rijksmonument, and in 1996 a bridge was built to the mainland. The fog signal was deactivated in 2001, and the light was extinguished in 2003 when the last lighthouse keeper retired. It was rekindled in 2005.
The island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is owned by the Dutch state, and is managed by Staatsbosbeheer. In 2011, Staatsbosbeheer began inviting businesses to propose a plan to restore the buildings (costs are estimated between 1 and 2 million Euro) and propose commercial use of the island while maintaining its status as a monument.