1/2 Hugo wants to breathe new life into the only lighthouse in Brabant.
Did you know that Brabant has its own ‘Brandaris’? The only lighthouse in our province is more than seven meters high and is located in Willemstad. The light beacon has been out of service since 1989 and has been somewhat abandoned ever since. It is high time to breathe new life into this striking building, says the self-proclaimed lighthouse keeper Hugo Snel.
The Willemstadter has been taking care of the tower on the Lanterndijk for years. Two steep ladders in the tower lead to the light house on top of the masonry. On a summer day from this height, the view over the Hollands Diep and the historic fortified city is wonderful.
As early as 1696 there was a beacon on the current site of the lighthouse. Later a wooden construction followed. That was then replaced by an iron scaffolding. The masonry tower dates from 1947. “Actually, it is not a lighthouse, but a light curb,” explains Hugo.
“Everything is in good shape but it could be better.”
At the end of the eighties, Rijkswaterstaat decided to turn off the light because ships no longer used it for their navigation. The building was cut off from electricity a short time later. Ten years ago, the municipality gave the metal light house a thorough refurbishment for the last time. “Everything looks good, but it could be better”, says Hugo.
It is one of his great wishes to put the tower back in the spotlight, literally and figuratively. With a lamp in the skylight and building lighting on the outside. Hugo: “Obviously it shouldn’t be a nuisance for shipping, but it would be really nice to make the tower shine again in this way.”
The lighthouse also turns out to be a real eye-catcher without lighting. Two Flemish visitors report to the door and ask if they can come upstairs. Hugo gives the man and woman a friendly tour.
“Our lighthouse is in all kinds of books and on international websites.”
According to him, the lighthouse belongs to the cultural heritage and should soon be given the status of a monument. “Our lighthouse is featured in all kinds of books and on international websites. We therefore have to be really careful with it and preserve it well for future generations.”