Hel Lighthouse

Hel Lighthouse is a slim, octagonal red-brick tower standing in the pine forest at the very end of the Hel Peninsula (say it like "hell"), a 35 km sand spit on Poland's Baltic coast north of Gdańsk. At 41.5 m, it still guides ships into Gdańsk and Gdynia, and in summer you can climb to its gallery for wide views of the sea and the Bay of Gdańsk. It pairs naturally with the headland, the WWII batteries and the town's museums.

A short history

There has been a navigation light on Hel since the 17th century; after 1647 a wooden crane held an iron basket of burning coal. The first masonry lighthouse went up between 1806 and 1826 and was lit on 1 August 1827. It received red-and-white stripes in 1929 and electric light in 1938.

In September 1939 Hel became the last Polish stronghold on the coast, holding out until 2 October. The defenders blew up their own lighthouse on the orders of Commander Włodzimierz Steyer so it could not serve as an aiming point for German artillery. Sources differ: 16 September or 19 September (the society that runs the tower). The current tower was built by the German occupiers in 1942, in about seven months, roughly 10 m from the old foundation; local Kashubian workers built it.

What you'll see

• The gallery, with views over the forest, the harbor, the open Baltic and the Bay of Gdańsk.
• A working light: a 1,000 W lamp in a cylindrical Fresnel lens with a nominal range of 17 nautical miles. Since 2003 the tower has also carried radar for the Gulf of Gdańsk vessel traffic service.
• A plaque by the entrance marking Marshal Józef Piłsudski's visit on 1 July 1928.

The climb is up a narrow stairway, so it is not suitable for strollers or anyone uneasy with heights. Children under 105 cm (about 3 ft 5 in) are not allowed up, and children under 7 must be with an adult.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you are already on the peninsula: allow 30–45 minutes for the tower and combine it with the 1 km walk to the headland, the restored Laskowski gun position and the seal sanctuary. Morning visits in July and August usually mean shorter lines.

Opening hours and tickets (as of October 2026)

The tower is opened to visitors by the Society of Friends of the National Maritime Museum (TPNMM). Its website, which shows no year for these figures, lists:

• May, June, September: 10:00–14:00 and 15:00–18:00, daily
• July–August: 9:00–19:00, daily
• October to April: no hours published, so expect the tower to be closed and call ahead (+48 58 301 86 11, the society's office)
• Tickets: 16 PLN standard, 12 PLN reduced (cash or card availability not stated)

How to get to Hel Lighthouse

From Gdańsk Airport (GDN), travel to Gdynia, then take the regional train along the peninsula to Hel, which takes about 2 hours. From Hel station it is a 10–15 minute walk to ul. Bałtycka 4. In summer, seasonal water trams also run from Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. Drivers use road 216, which can be badly congested on summer weekends; park in one of the paid lots in town.

Nearby

The Hel headland and its Kashubian Mound, the Laskowski Battery, the Museum of Coastal Defence and the Fisheries Museum.