Lighthouses of Southern Finland

Hamina Area Lighthouses

Parrio

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern, painted white. A closeup photo is available, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the area. Located on the southwest coast of Parrio, an island about 1 km (0.6 mi) northwest of the Russian border. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5468; NGA 13320.

Lipra Range Rear

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 20 m (66 ft) concrete tower with lantern, painted white with a black vertical stripe. No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the area. Located in the entrance to the fjord leading to Hailila, about 7 km (4.5 mi) southwest of Virolahti. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty C5466; NGA 13336.

* Lightship Hyöky (Helsinki, Libauskiy) 1912. Inactive as a lightship since 1959. 42.5 m (140 ft) steel lightship; the light was shown from a mast on the pilothouse. Hull and mast painted red, superstructure buff and white. A photo is at right, Iris Klempau has a page for the ship, Wikipedia has a closeup photo by Kari Jokinen, and a good 2008 photo is available. The ship was built for the Russian Navy by the Putilov shipyard in St. Petersburg. Its first assignment was off Libau (now Liepaja) in Latvia. Captured as a war prize by Finland following World War I, the ship served the Relandersgrund and Äransgrund stations and then the Helsinki station from 1933 to 1959. In 1961 it was renamed Hyöky and converted to a hydrographic support ship. Retired in 1983, it has been restored as a floating restaurant and museum. Normally it is moored at Tervasaari, an island in the harbor of Hamina. However, it is operational and sometimes visits other Finnish ports; the photo at right shows it in Helsinki. Site and vessel open. ARLHS FIN-027. Keskihallinkari Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); one long white flash every 6 s. Approx. 17 m (56 ft) steel tower, painted white with a red horizontal band. No photo available, and Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located on a rocky shoal about 20 km (13 mi) southeast of Kotka. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5414.3; NGA 13414. Merikari Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); five very quick red flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) triangular skeletal tower carrying a large black daymark. A photo is available, but Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located on a rocky shoal about 16 km (10 mi) southeast of Kotka. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5408; NGA 13542.

Lightship Hyöky (Helsinki) at Helsinki harbor, May 2009 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Kotka Area Lighthouses

Rankki

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); three flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted black. Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located on a skerry about 3 km (2 mi) west of the island of Kirkonmaa and 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Kotka. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5386; NGA 13564.

Lightship Kemi 1901 (Pori Engine Shop). Decommissioned 1974. 30 m (98 ft) steel lightship. The light was shown from a lantern atop a light tower in the aft portion of the ship. Vessel painted red. Esko Kurvinen has a closeup photo, but Google has only a distant satellite view. Built as the Ärensgrund, the ship served that station until 1921, when it was shifted to Relandersgrund. From 1933 to 1953 the ship was the Rauma. After refurbushment, she finally served the Kemi station from 1956 to 1974. In 1989 the Kemi was donated to the Maritime Museum of Finland (Museumvirasto) on the island of Hylkysaari in Helsinki. The museum has a page for the lightship (text in Finnish). From 2004 to 2007 the ship was at the Suomenlinna shipyard for restoration; in 2008 it was towed to the museum's new site in Kotka where restoration continued. The ship reopened to visitors in 2010. Site open, vessel open. Owner/site manager: Maritime Centre Vellamo. ARLHS FIN-104. Kotka (Kotkan Majakkan) 1990. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); four white flashes every 30 s. 23 m (75 ft) steel column supporting a hexagonal equipment structure and a helipad. Lighthouse painted with blue and yellow horizontal bands. FMA has a small photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on a shoal in the Gulf of Finland about 25 km (15 mi) southwest of Kotka. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-022; Admiralty C5380; NGA 13560. * Kaunissaari Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Ari Rotonen's photo is at right, a second photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on the northern tip of the island of Kaunissaari, about 10 km (6 mi) southwest of Kotka. The island is accessible by ferry from Kotka. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5368; NGA 13688. Lalatta Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) round concrete tower with lantern, painted black. No photo available, and the light is not seen in Google's distant satellite view. Located on an islet about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Söderby. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty C5349; NGA 13780.

Kaunisaari Light, July 2005 photo copyright Ari Rotonen; used by permission

Porvoo Area Lighthouses

Orrengrund (1)

1760s(?). Inactive since 1858(?). Approx. 22 m (72 ft) square masonry tower topped by an octagonal observation room. Tower painted white, observation room red. A photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Orrengrund is an island about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Söderby and 18 km (12 mi) southeast of Loviisa. A tourist site dates the lighthouse to the 1760s. The tower was converted to a pilot station in the 1890s, and the current observation room was built by the Finnish army in 1920. Apparently the tower is now part of a coast guard station. Located near the ferry terminal on the north (?) side of the island. Site status unknown.

Orrengrund (2)

1858 (station established 1760s). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 1 s off. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Google has a very distant satellite view. Tower painted white with a black band at the base, lantern painted black. Located at the west end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty C5322.

Tainio (2)

1966 (station established 1956). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); five very quick white flashes every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower. Upper 2/3 of the tower painted black, lower 1/3 white. FMA is a page for the lighthouse. The original light was destroyed by a winter storm in 1964. Located on a shoal about 16 km (10 mi) southeast of Loviisa. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-064; Admiralty C5321; NGA 13824.

Tiiskeri

1933. Active; focal plane 16.5 m (54 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and two galleries. Tower painted black; lantern and galleries painted orange. Between the galleries is an opening that formerly held a fog bell. A 2007 photo is available, FMA has a small photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a small island about 20 km (13 mi) south of Loviisa. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-068; Admiralty C5318; NGA 13936.

Pellinki (Glosholm)

1832. Inactive since 1862. A small photo is available, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view. Stone ruins about 9 m (30 ft) high remain of this historic lighthouse. It was deactivated when the Söderskär lighthouse was inaugurated. Located on the island of Glosholm about 1.6 km (1 mi) southwest of Söderby and 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Pellinki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-083.

Kalbådagrund 1953. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); four long (2 s) white flashes every 30 s. 25 m (82 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, incorporating keeper's quarters, with lantern, three galleries, and a helipad on top. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. The design of the lighthouse is similar to that of several Swedish Baltic Sea lighthouses. The lighthouse replaced a lightship station. Located on a dangerous shoal near the centerline of the Gulf of Finland, 12 km (7.5 mi) from shore and about 25 km (15 mi) south of Porvoo. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-013; Admiralty C5239; NGA 14084. Porvoo (Range Front) 1976. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted red with one black horizontal band. FMA has a small photo. The lighthouse was formerly unpainted, as seen in an older photo. The light functions as the front light of a long range; the rear light is on Larsskär some 5.5 km (3.4 mi) to the north. Located on a shoal about 3 km (2 mi) north of the Kalbådagrund lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-044; Admiralty C5239.4; NGA 14088. Larsskär (Range Rear) 1976(?). Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white light, 2 s on 6 s off. No description or photo available, but presumably this is a tall skeletal tower. Google has an enigmatic satellite view. The lighthouse carries a rectangular daymark, painted red with a yellow vertical stripe. Located on a small island 5.5 km (3.4 mi) north of the Porvoo lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5239.41; NGA 14092. Tallörn (Range Front) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); two quick flashes every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) square stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. K. Sundvall has a view from the sea. Located on a small island about 5 km (3 mi) south of Kalkkiranta. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5227. Söderskär 1862. Inactive since 1989. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern. The lighthouse is a light brown color; lantern painted black. Two 1-1/2 story wood keeper's houses are available for overnight accommodations. Miika Silfverberg's photo appears at right, Tero Koski has a nice photo of the station, another photo is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos, but the lighthouse is not seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. This historic lighthouse is located on a small island in the Gulf of Finland about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Kalkstrand. Accessible only by boat.The island is an important bird nesting site, and landing requires a permit. Site closed to the public; tower status unknown, probably open at least to paying guests. ARLHS FIN-057.

Söderskär Light, September 2005 Creative Commons photo by Miika Silfverberg

Helsinki Area Lighthouses

Helsinki 1959. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white light, 3 s on, 9 s off. 27 m (89 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, incoporating keeper's quarters, with lantern, three galleries, and a helipad above the lantern. Lighthouse painted white with a red horizontal band in the upper third. A photo is at right, Larry Myhre has a 2008 photo, Trabas has a distant photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The lighthouse replaced a historic lightship station (see above for the lightship, since renamed Hyöky). Located in the Gulf of Finland about 15 km (9 mi) south of Helsinki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5184; NGA 14516. Harmaja (Gråhara) (Range Front) (2) 1883 (substantially altered in 1900). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 4 s on, 2 s off. 15 m (49 ft) 2-stage tower: a 7.5 m (25 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery centered on a square 7.3 m (24 ft) stone tower. The stone is unpainted; the cast iron tower is painted red with a white horizontal band; the lantern roof is greenish metallic. Trabas has a good but distant view, the City of Helsinki has a closeup, Mikko Rauhala also has an excellent closeup, a 2008 photo is available, FMA has a page with a small photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Wikipedia has a nice aerial view of the entire island, and Google has a satellite view. Harmaja is a small island about 10 km (6 mi) south of Helsinki. It is one of many small islands in the neighborhood, but it happens to lie beside the main ship channel into the city. Stone daybeacons were built on the island as early as the 1500s to guide arriving ships. The original stone lighthouse proved to be too short, so in 1900 its lantern was removed and replaced by the cast iron tower. The Helsinki pilot station and a tall communications tower also occupy the island. Located at the eastern end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS FIN-008; Admiralty C5190; NGA 14528. Remmarholmen Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two quick flashes every 4 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted red, lantern and gallery white. Trabas has a good photo, Vyacheslav Korolev has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Reimarisaari, a small island off the southwestern tip of the larger island of Vallisaari, about 3.5 km (2 mi) southeast of Helsinki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5195; NGA 14572. Korkeasaari Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); quick-flashing white light. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white. Trabas has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Korkeasaari is an island on the east side of Helsinki. Located at the northern point of the island. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5172; NGA 14488.

Helsinki Light, June 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

*** Lightship Relandersgrund

1888 (Crichton & Co. AB, Turku). Decommissioned 1937. 27.1 m (89 ft) iron lightship with a cylindrical light tower amidships. Vessel painted red. Finnish Wikipedia has an article on the ship with a photo, Niklas Sjöblom has a good closeup photo, Neal Doan also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The ship served 26 years on the Relandersgrund station. In 1917, its Russian crew, celebrating the onset of the Revolution, sailed the ship across the Gulf of Finland and drunkenly ran it aground and sank it on the Estonian coast. The following year the new Finnish government had it raised and repaired in Tallinn. Returned to Finland, it served as the reserve lightship until it was decommissioned in 1937. Less is known about its career thereafter, but it remained at sea until it was sold for scrap in 1978. Somehow rescued from the wreckers, it reappeared with its old name in Kotka, where it was renovated as a restaurant. In 2005 it was towed to Helsinki, where it continued to function as a restaurant. The ship was drydocked for maintenance and restoration in 2007 and returned to the Helsinki waterfront in May 2009. Located on the Meritullintori waterfront in downtown Helsinki. Site open, vessel open during the dinner meal daily. ARLHS FIN-108.

* Valkosaari (Blekholm) Range Rear

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white with one red horizontal band. Trabas has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The front light is in a tiny lantern only 2 m (7 ft) tall. Located on a small island on the east side of Helsinki. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5170.1; NGA 14480.

* Länsi Mustasaari (Västra Svartö)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 2 s. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white with one red horizontal band. A closeup photo is available, Trabas has a distant photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the southwest side of Länsi Musta, an island on the southeast side of Helsinki harbor. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5166; NGA 14472.

** Suomenlinna (Sveaborg) (Harmaja Range Rear) 1929. Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); four white flashes every 15 s. Approx. 27 m (89 ft) light mounted atop the dome of a square cylindrical stone tower, centered on a square stone church. David Murphey's photo is at right, Trabas has a distant view, a closeup of the lantern and a photo of the light in action are available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The church of Suomenlinna, a well known Helsinki landmark, was built as a Russian Orthodox cathedral in 1854, but it was converted to a Lutheran church when Finland became independent. The cathedral served the Russian garrison manning the nearby Suomenlinna Fortress. The light serves as the rear light of a range, with the front light being the Harmaja lighthouse 4.8 km (3 mi) to the south. Located at the highest point of the island of Suomenlinna, southeast of Helsinki. The island is accessible by bridge. Site open, church open for tours Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and for Sunday services; tower closed. ARLHS FIN-063; Admiralty C5190.1; NGA 14532. * Kustaanmiekka (Gustavsvård) Range Front Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); quick-flashing light, white or red depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square stone base. Lighthouse painted white; the side facing the range has two vertical red stripes outlining a white stripe. Jeanie Mackinder's closeup shows this range mark well, Miikka Skaffari's photo and Trabas's photo show the all-white rear of the tower, and Google has a satellite view. Kustaamiekka (Gustav's Sword) is an island seaward of Suomenlinna; the channel leading onto Helsinki harbor passes through a narrow opening between Kustaamiekka and neighboring island of Vallisaari. The Suomenlinna fortress is actually built on the eastern tip of Kustaamiekka to guard this passage. The lighthouse is on the tip of the island below the walls of the fortress. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5196; NGA 14554. Abrahaminluoto (Lokkiluoto Range Rear) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white light, 1.5 s on, 1.5 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted red, lantern white; the tower carries a large slatted daymark facing the range line, painted black with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is an outbound range, guiding ships as they leave Helsinki. Located on a small island about 2 km (1.25 mi) south of the Helsinki waterfront; Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5188; NGA 14448.

Suomenlinna Light, June 2007 Creative Commons photo by David Murphy

Tiirakari (Tirgrund)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); two very quick flashes every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, base black. Trabas has a distant photo, Larry Myhre has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the northern tip of a small island about 1.6 km (1 mi) southwest of the entrance to Helsinki harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5160; NGA 14440.

Koirakari (Hundskär)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a narrow black horizontal band. Trabas has a distant photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the tip of a small island about 1.6 km (1 mi) south of the entrance to Helsinki harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5156; NGA 14428.

Porkkala Area Lighthouses

Note: The Porkkala Peninsula projects southwestward into the Gulf of Finland about 25 km (15 mi) west of Helsinki. Soviet troops occupied Porkkala in 1944 under an armistice agreement between Finland and the Soviet Union, and the Soviets continued to occupy the area as a military base until 1956. Porkkala (Kallbådan) (3) 1928 (lightship station established 1858). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three quick flashes every 20 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 21 m (69 ft) square stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one end of a 2-story stone keeper's house, all mounted on a large square stone pier. Lighthouse and keeper's house painted red; the roof of the house is white, and the lantern dome is greenish metallic. A photo from the Finnish edition of Wikipedia is at right, a page for the lighthouse has a good photo, Esko Paunonen has an excellent closeup, and Tero Koski has a good photo, but the islet is only a faint blur in Google's satellite view. The lighthouse appears to have been inactive during the Soviet occupation; afterward Finnish authorities found it in poor condition and put in back in service with an automated light. The lighthouse is built over a skerry about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of the tip of the peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-043; Admiralty C5130; NGA 14656. Rönnskär (2) 1814 (significantly heightened in 1828) (station established 1800). Inactive since 1928. Approx. 27 m (89 ft) two-stage tower; the lower half is square cylindrical unpainted rubblestone, and the upper half is round cylindrical cut stone, painted white. Lantern removed, but radar and communications equipment is mounted atop the tower. Esko Paunonen has a fine closeup and a view from the sea, Raino Mäkelä has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse, built by Sweden, was destroyed during the war between Sweden and Russia in 1808-09. The second lighthouse, built on the same plans under Russian rule in 1814, was replaced by the Porkkala light in 1928. The tower now carries a radar antenna and communications gear. FMA has a small photo and drawings showing the various configurations of the tower over the years. Located on a small island about 7.5 km (4.5 mi) north of the Porkkala lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS FIN-086(=087).

Porkkala Light, August 2009 Wikipedia Creative Commons photo by Islander

Ekenäs Area Lighthouses
Jussarö (2)

1922 (station established 1891). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); one long (1.2 s) white flash every 12 s. 24 m (79 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. Rauhala has an excellent photo, FMA has a page with a small photo, a distant view is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a small, rocky island in the Gulf of Finland about 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Sommarö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-011; Admiralty C4980; NGA 14892.

Längden

1966. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); three long (1.5 s) flashes every 15 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The location is only a faint blur in Google's satellite view. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. Located on a skerry about 6 km (3.5 mi) southeast of Tvärminne. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-026; Admiralty C4991.6; NGA 14944.

Hanko Area Lighthouses

* Russarö (2) 1863 (station established 1838). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); four long (1.4 s) white flashes every 45 s. 21 m (69 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. Upper 2/3 of the tower painted red, lower 1/3 unpainted; lantern dome is greenish metallic. Rauhala has a fine photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the shadow of the tower is seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. The lighthouse is often called the "eye of Hanko," and a photo by Niklas Sjöblom captures the effect. Located on the southeastern side of the island of Båklandet (Söderviken) about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Hanko. The island is accessible by ferry from Hanko. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-089; Admiralty C4912; NGA 15212. Gustavsvärn (2) 1949 (station established 1865). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red with a greenish metallic dome. A photo is available, FMA has a small photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on a skerry about 1.5 km (1 mi) due south of Hanko. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-007; Admiralty C4918.4; NGA 15172. **** Bengtskär 1906 (Florentin Granholm). Active; focal plane 51 m (167 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 46 m (151 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, attached to one end of a 3-1/2 story granite keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern dome is greenish metallic. Clamshell Fresnel lens in use. Olli Wilkman's photo appears at right, Wikimedia has a large portfolio of photos, Rauhala also has a good photo, Olli Hassinen has an aerial photo, FMA has a page with a photo and historical information (in Finnish), and Google has a very fuzzy satellite view. This lighthouse, the tallest of all Scandinavian lighthouses and one of Finland's best known lighthouses, was built after the steamship Helsingfors wrecked nearby in 1905. The light marks the north side of the entrance to the Gulf of Finland from the Baltic Sea. It is also marks the southernmost inhabited land in Finland. The lighthouse was shelled by German ships during World War I but was not badly damaged. In World War II, Soviet troops attempted to storm the island on 26 July 1941, but they were driven off after a fierce battle. Soviet air raids damaged the keeper's house but spared the tower. After repairs, the lighthouse was reactivated in 1950. Automated in 1968, the lighthouse gradually deteriorated, and it was in poor condition by 1985, when it was leased to the Pro Bengtskär Association. When the Association failed to raise sufficient funds for a restoration, the lease was transferred to the Centre of Extension Studies of the University of Turku. Restored in the early 1990s, the lighthouse now includes overnight accommodations, a lecture hall, conference rooms, a café, museum, and post office. Located on a small island about 25 km (15 mi) west southwest of Hanko. Passenger ferry service to the lighthouse is available from Kasnäs in the Åland Islands. Site open, lighthouse and tower open daily June 1 through August 31. Site manager: University of Turku. ARLHS FIN-001; Admiralty C4906; NGA 15268.

Bengtskär Light, June 2007 Creative Commons photo by Olli Wilkman

Utö Lighthouses

Bokullankivi

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with one black horizontal band. Located ona shaol about 8 km (5 mi) east northeast of Utö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C4347.2; NGA 15860.

* Utö (2)

1814 (station established 1753). Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); two white flashes every 12 s. 24 m (79 ft) square granite tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted with red and white vertical stripes; lantern painted red; lantern dome is greenish metallic. Maija Erkolahti's photo is at the top of this page, Rauhala has a good photo, Wikimedia has a portfolio of photos, and FMA has a page with a small photo and historical information (in Finnish). Utö is a small island about 60 km (37.5 mi) southwest of Turku; it is the southernmost island in what is known in Finland as the Archipelago Sea, a maze of islands between the mainland and the Åland Islands. The first lighthouse on the island was destroyed during the Russian-Swedish War in 1808. As the most substantial building on the island, the present lighthouse served as a church and town hall for the islanders during the mid nineteenth century. Like Bengtskär, the lighthouse was shelled by German ships during World War I but not badly damaged. A Soviet raid on the island was repulsed during the Winter War of 1939. Located on the highest point of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-090; Admiralty C4736; NGA 15800.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

• Haapasaari, in the Gulf of Finland south of Kotka; this is a radar tower not known to carry a navigational light.
• Hanko Water Tower, in Hanko, is a very conspicuous daybeacon but it does not carry a navigational light.

Adjoining pages: North: Finland Lakes | East: Vyborg Area | West: Åland Islands

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Posted September 17, 2007. Checked and revised May 22, 2011. Lighthouses: 38. Lightships: 3. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.