Lighthouse Stories: Egmond aan Zee, Burgh-Haamstede, IJmuiden, Vlieland
In the new MAX program *Vuurtorenverhalen* (Lighthouse Stories), Kefah Allush visits eight lighthouses along the Dutch coast. He investigates how it is possible that these lighthouses survived wars, storms, and digitalization, and why these buildings still have a right to exist. In the lighthouses in Egmond aan Zee, Burgh-Haamstede, IJmuiden, Vlieland, Hoek van Holland, Urk, Texel, and Enkhuizen, he also meets the people who have a special connection to the towers: from passionate lighthouse keepers to creatives who are inspired by the beacons. *Vuurtorenverhalen* airs starting Friday, October 31, 2025, at 9:10 PM on MAX on NPO 2. Are you collecting the theme 'Lighthouses'?
Episode 1 – Egmond aan Zee: the light (October 31)
In Egmond aan Zee, the white lighthouse holds a unique name: the JCJ van Speijk. The structure is named after a naval hero and has a rich history. In the former fishing village, Kefah takes a look at the newly renovated lamp at the top and explores how a light character makes every tower unique. He meets lighthouse expert Peter, former seafarer Glijn, who saved many people with the KNRM, and young musical talent singing about the beacon.
Episode 2 – Burgh-Haamstede: the air (November 7)
Kefah travels to the Zeeland coast, where he holds cherished childhood memories. He visits the uniquely painted lighthouse of Burgh-Haamstede, a tower that serves as an important beacon for aviation as well as for maritime navigation. Kefah admires the building from a glider and lands back on solid ground on the 't Oude Vuur walking trail. And before leaving Zeeland behind, Kefah enjoys a typical local delicacy, for which he rolls up his sleeves to prepare.
Lighthouse banknote 250 guilders (1985)
The lighthouse that served as the model for the 250 guilder banknote – popularly known as '250 piek' – stands on West Schouwen near Haamstede in the Zeeland island of Schouwen-Duiveland. It is a classic design featuring a lantern dome and beautiful red and white stripes all around. The stripes on the lighthouse were added as a warning to low-flying aircraft. This banknote was designed by RDE Oxenaar (in collaboration with JJ Kruit) according to his 'house, tree, animal' theory; banknotes should not only be individually recognizable by denomination but also nameable, because they are ordinary everyday objects. Thus, he designed The Lighthouse (250 guilders) as the house, the Sunflower (50 guilders) as the tree, and the Snipe (100 guilders) as the animal. The reverse side shows the Dutch coastline with navigation lights, a cloudy sky, a dune landscape, and the lighthouse of Ameland.
An imposing sight on Ameland is the 55-meter-high lighthouse, built of cast iron in 1880. Since 2005, the tower has no longer been used by the coast guard, and the lighthouse keeper no longer sits high up in the tower. Nowadays, cameras monitor the coastline day and night. The lighthouse is now used as an exhibition space and is open to the public. An office has been furnished at the top, just as it was used by the lighthouse keeper in the past.
Episode 3 – IJmuiden: resilience (November 14)
Not one, but two beacons in the third episode of Lighthouse Stories. Nestled among the large ships and industry of IJmuiden, a pair of red lighthouses can be found. Kefah pays a visit to the duo, which is made of cast iron. The towers have survived a renovation and even a relocation. All of this so that the light can continue to burn for maritime navigation. But that light, Kefah learns, also has downsides: for the many birds that inhabit the area.
Episode 4 – Vlieland: peace (November 21)
On Vlieland, Kefah dives into the stories of one of the smallest lighthouses in the Netherlands: the Red Gnome. He meets the lighthouse keeper who has cared for the building with great love for thirty years. The dune on which the beacon stands conceals memories of the Second World War in the form of a bunker. A bunker where something beautiful is now emerging from that sad history. And Kefah gets his feet wet when he goes in search of a special ingredient with cheesemaker Nils. What does Liesbeth List have to do with the Vlieland lighthouse? See the link at the bottom of the blog.
Source: Omroep Max Press Release.
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