2016Virtsu lighthouse - First Day Cover

Planning and building of the first Virtsu lighthouse started in 1863 and the first assembled Virtsu lighthouse went into operation in 1866. It was red in colour with a green cast iron cap, 28 eight meters high with the visibility of the light 11 miles, which was increased to 16 by 1914. In 1917 the Virtsu lighthouse was blasted by retreating Russian forces. This was the only Estonian cast iron that lighthouse was destroyed in World War One. In 1924 a new reinforced concrete lighthouse was built instead of the destroyed lighthouse the height of 19 meters and the diameter of 2.5 meters. The tower was red and the lower part white. In 1944 retreating the reinforced concrete tower was destroyed by retreating German forces. In 1951 a totally new lighthouse was built. It was a four- sided truncated four-sided pyramid 19 meters high in the same colours. At its top is an athetylen lamp that shows the light from the height of 19 m. Today the lighthouse has modernized equipment and a Sabik lantern NL-300. In 2016 the Virtsu Lighthouse will be 65 years old. In 2106 the building of the Virtsu lighthouse will be 150 years.