As of: 08/22/2022 9:24 PM
The collapsed lighthouse in Bremerhaven is to be dismantled and reconstructed with the pier. The dome was prepared on Monday for its restoration.
According to information from Radio Bremen, the preparatory work turned out to be more difficult than expected. On Tuesday, experts want to try to decipher the red dome using a high-pressure water jet. For this purpose, a rail is placed under the dome of the tower, on which water jets are installed. A spokesman for the port company in Bremenport, Holger Bronz, did not want to stick to a specific timetable. The water-pumping method has been tried, but not yet tested on a tortuous part of the building. One hopes it will succeed, said Bronze. Once the dome protected by the monument is separated, it must be raised and secured by jacks. The dismantling of the brick tower can then be started.
video: Bremerhaven Leaning Tower: Deconstruction Begins with the Dome (22/08/2022) (2 min)
Preparations have been underway in the North Mole in Bremerhaven since Monday morning
Two cranes were used on Monday: the first, the smaller one, driven by two men, ran near the dome of the landmark in the morning. Men checked the crane dome. This is followed by a second lever with a longer lever. A basket has also been attached to it. The workers inspected the tower, dome and secured area around the landmark. Then the lines stretched from the top of the dome to the ground.
Bremerhaven restores the tower
As a model for the planned reconstruction, experts used a drone to take 3D images of the tower over the weekend. In addition, a pontoon pontoon with a straw pillow was pulled next to the tower. This is to prevent the tower from sinking into the Weser Pass. The goal is also to rebuild the tower with the new construction of the pier. “Bremerhaven got the tower back,” said Bronze.
The tower can still be overturned
The Senator for Ports in Bremen, Claudia Schilling (SPD), said she hoped the dismantling would be completed by the end of next week. “Buten und Binnen” mentioned. Impossible things still remain—especially in regards to the stability of the tower: Even after temporary lockout, the tower can still fall, Bronze said. She said Sunday, however, that there are no indications yet that the situation is getting worse.
Lighthouse operating since 1914
The lighthouse stands on the North Pier at the entrance to the fishing port of Bremerhaven. According to the city, it was commissioned in 1914 and has been under antiquities protection since 2001. The North Mole is owned by the state of Bremen, the tower with its active lighthouse belongs to the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration.
Port operator: The wooden piles may have fallen off
The pier was flooded Thursday night. This was unexpected, said Robert Howe, managing director of Bremenports. “However, we have known for several years that the stability of the pier, and of course the stability of the tower, is in danger.” The pier and the pier on which the tower stands are built on wooden pillars. Investigations showed that these were lost under the pavement. That is why the pier is closed to visitors. Hao explained that since the pier head was secured again in addition to the board supports, the wooden piles there could not be inspected. At low tide, the piles would have apparently failed there.
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