Scharhörnbake

First erected in 1661 by the City of Hamburg on the sandbank Scharhörn and south side of the Elbe estuary, it was rebuilt over centuries and taken down in 1979 after 318 years.

The main function of the daymark was to aid navigation for ships around the feared Scharhörn Reef into the Elbe coming from the North Sea.

As Hamburg depended most on this, it maintained sea marks around the reefs and the routes via the Südergatt und Nordergatt starting 1440.

The bearing to the Great Tower Neuwerk via the Scharhörnbake was essential to spot is beacon (see red line).

As the sandbank Scharhörn grew into an island by plantations, this function was made obsolete by the first shacks starting 1929.

Scharhörnbake 1898
Scharhörnbake as an illustration on a 1721 map
Bearing (red) from the Rothe Ton via the Scharhörnbake to the Great Tower Neuwerk (1721)
View from the Rothe Ton with the Scharhörnbake (1) in front of the Great Tower Neuwerk (4) (1831)
The Scharhörn Baak (1) as part of the various navigational aids around and on Neuwerk (1831)