Westerheversand Lighthouse in Westerhever, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany (© bluejayphoto/Getty Images)

Rising above the salt marshes along Germany's North Sea coast, Westerheversand Lighthouse is instantly recognisable for its distinctive red-and-white stripes. Built between 1906 and 1908 on 127 heavy wooden piles driven into the sand, the 40-metre cast-iron tower has stood on the Eiderstedt Peninsula for more than a century, guiding ships through the North Sea. Two identical white keeper's cottages flank the beacon, adding to its storybook appearance.