Beckum is a city of just under 37 000 people. It was named after the nearby Beckum Hills. Beckum means "home upon the brooks" which is appropriate because there are three brooks around the town - Kollenbach, Lippbach, and Siechenbach.  Beckum was granted its town charter in 1224 and it grew quickly as merchants and craftsmen set up shop. War, riots, and the Black Death slowed progress.  In the second half of the 19th century, chalk and cement industries were developed. Beckhum quickly became one of the most important and largest cement producers in the world. Today Beckum's economy is based on machine engineering, the cement industry, as well as commerce and service industries.  The lighthouse in the photograph is Westerheversand Leuchtturm (Lighthouse), built in 1907. It is in northern Germany and is 40 m high. It has been open to visitors since 2001, and is a popular spot for weddings.