Lighthouses of Southern Finland

Finland has coastlines facing south on the Gulf of Finland and west on the Gulf of Bothnia, both arms of the Baltic Sea. Finland also administers the Åland Islands (Ahvenanmaa), an archipelago at the junction of the two gulfs. After centuries of rule by Sweden, Finland was conquered by Russia in 1809 and made an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire. The country declared its independence from Russia in 1917, at the start of the Russian Revolution.

This page includes the lighthouses of the Gulf of Finland. Most of them are in the province of Southern Finland (Etelä-Suomi), but the Bengtskär and Utö lighthouses are in the province of Western Finland (Länsi-Suomi).

Lighthouses in Finland are maintained by the Finnish Transport Agency (Liikennevirasto). The Finnish word for a lighthouse is majakka (plural majakat). Swedish is a second official language in Finland, and some of the lighthouses are commonly known by their Swedish names.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume C of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 116.

General Sources
Online List of Lights - Finland
Photos by various photographers posted by Alex Trabas.
Finnish Lighthouses
Excellent photos of the some of the better known lighthouses, taken by Mikko Rauhala.
Latarnie Morskie - Bałtyk
This Polish langauge site has photos of in lighthouses in southwestern Finland and the Åland Islands.
Lighthouses in Finland
Photos available from Wikimedia.
Lighthouses in Finland
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Weitere Europäische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Finnish Lighthouse Society
The national lighthouse preservation association.

Utö Light
Utö Light, Utö, July 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Maija Erkolahti
Hamina Area Lighthouses
Parrio
Date unknown (station established 1938). 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, and Bing has a distant satellite view. There were range lights here at least by the 1920s. 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 (Siikasaari Range Rear)
Date unknown (station established 1938). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 20 m (66 ft) tower with lantern, carrying a daymark painted yellow with a red vertical stripe. NGA describes the tower as concrete, but Bing's satellite view shows a square skeletal tower. No photo available. The front light is on an 11 m (36 ft) skeletal tower. 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.
Lotouri
Date unknown (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 5.5 m (18 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. Located on a tiny island about 25 km (15 mi) southeast of Hamina. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5456; NGA 13352.
Kuorsalo Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white light, 2 s on, 4 s off. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) skeletal tower. No photo available, but Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located in a forest near the center of the island of Kuorsalo. Site status unknown. Admiralty C5438.61; NGA 13390.
Houtere Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); yellow light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 24 m (79 ft) skeletal tower. No photo available, but Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a small island off the south coast of the island of Houtere. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5438.81; NGA 13396.
Vatinki Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); yellow light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 24 m (79 ft) skeletal tower. No photo available, but Bing has an indistinct satellite view. NGA misspells the name as Vatiniki. Located on Arholma, a small island about 6 km (3.5 mi) southwest of Houtere. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5438.41; NGA 13399.8.
Suntholma (Suntholmit, Sunholma)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); five quick white flashes every 6 s. 14 m (46 ft) square stone cairn, painted white with a red horizontal band. No photo available, but Bing has a satellite view. Located on the southern point of the island of Suntholmit, about 25 km (15 mi) south of Hamina. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5438.58; NGA 13402.
* Majakkalaiva (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, a good 2008 photo is available, and Bing has a satellite view. 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, 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, but Bing has a 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, and Bing has a 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
Flickr Creative Commons photo by hugovk

Kotka Area Lighthouses
Rankki
Date unknown (station established 1884). 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. A photo is available, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a skerry off the southeastern tip of Rankki, 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.
Majakkalaiva (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, and Bing has a 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
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. 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 (station established 1884). 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 Bing has a 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.
Lålätta
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 Bing has a satellite view. Located on an islet about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Söderby. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5349; NGA 13780.

Kaunisaari Light, Kotka, July 2005
Flickr photo copyright Ari Rotonen; used by permission
Ljusaklack
Date unknown (station established 1932). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); light characteristic unknown. 6 m (20 ft) lantern mounted on a tapered square white concrete pier. Lantern painted red. Marika Arvonen has a photo, a distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on skerry off Furafladen. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5352.

Porvoo Area Lighthouses
Orrengrund (3)
1858 (station established 1760s). Inactive since 1957. Approx. 22 m (72 ft) square masonry tower topped by an octagonal concrete observation room. Tower painted white, observation room red. A photo is at right, a 2010 photo and another photo are available, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Orrengrund is an island about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Söderby and 18 km (12 mi) southeast of Loviisa. The original beacon was replaced by a lighthouse in 1838, but that building collapsed after only 20 years. The upper section, originally wood, was replaced by concrete in the 1920s. 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 (4)
1957 (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. Bing has an indistinct 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. 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.
Skarven
Date unknown (station established 1933). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) lantern mounted on a tapered square white concrete pier. Lantern painted black. No photo available, but Bing has a satellite view. Located on a reef about 3 km (2 mi) southeast of Bastö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed.Admiralty C5328; NGA 13828.
Pellinki (Glosholm)
1832. Inactive since 1862. A small photo is available, and Bing has a 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.
Orrengrund Tower
Orrengrund Tower, Gulf of Finland, 2009
Museiverket (Finnish National Antiquities Board) photo
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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a 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.
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. Esko Paunonen has an excellent photo, and a winter photo is available. The design of the lighthouse is similar to that of several Swedish Baltic Sea lighthouses. The lighthouse replaced a lightship station, and the lightship survives as a dockside restaurant in Vaasa (see Western Finland). 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.
Kölhällen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10.5 m (34 ft); three flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower, painted black with a white horizontal band. No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy satellite view. Located on an isolated skerry well off Porvoo. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5240.4; NGA 14096.
Porvoo (Borgå) (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. A winter photo is available. 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. 32 m (105 ft) triangular skeletal tower carryin a large rectangular daymark; daymark painted red with a yellow vertical stripe. A photo is available, and Google has a 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 (station established 1911). 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 rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The tower carries a daymark painted red with a yellow vertical stripe. Heikki Lappalainen has a photo, and 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 tower with lantern; the lowest stage of the tower is stone and the remainder is brick. The lighthouse is a light brown color; lantern painted black. Two 1-1/2 story wood keeper's houses. Miika Silfverberg's photo appears at right, Tero Koski has a nice photo of the station, another photo is available, there's a historic photo taken in 1890, 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. Unlit beacons were placed here in the 1700s. Accessible only by boat. Accommodations are available in the lighthouse between mid May and mid September. The island is an important bird nesting site, and landing private boats requires a permit. Site generally closed to the public; tours are available from Helsinki three times a week during the summer. Site manager: Söderskär Majakka. ARLHS FIN-057.
Söderskär Lighthouse
Söderskär Light, Gulf of Finland, September 2005
Flickr 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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Wikimedia has several photos including a nice aerial view of the entire island, and Bing 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 Neal Doan's photo, Vyacheslav Korolev has a view from the sea, and Bing has an aerial 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.
Helsinki Light
Helsinki Light, Gulf of Finland, June 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by jje
*** Majakkalaiva (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, Larry Myhre has a photo, Neal Doan also has a photo, and Bing has an aerial 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 (station established 1891). 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 Bing has an aerial 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 (station established 1891). 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 Bing has an aerial 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 Bing has an aerial 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 (station established 1889). 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 Bing has an aerial view. Kustaanmiekka (Gustav's Sword) is an island seaward of Suomenlinna; the channel leading onto Helsinki harbor passes through a narrow opening between Kustaanmiekka and neighboring island of Vallisaari. The Suomenlinna fortress is actually built on the eastern tip of Kustaanmiekka 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 (Abrahamsholm) (Lokkiluoto Range Rear)
Date unknown (station established 1937). 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 Bing has an aerial 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 14548.
Lokkiluoto (Range Front)
Date unknown (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); quick-flashing white light. 6 m (20 ft) rectangular concrete tower. Wikimedia has a photo, and Bing has an aerial view. This is the front light for Abrahaminluoto and also the rear light for Tiirakari. Located midway between those two lights. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5188.1; NGA 14544.

Suomenlinna Light, Helsinki, June 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by David Murphy
Tiirakari (Tirgrund) (Range Front)
Date unknown (station established 1903). 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 Bing has an aerial 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 (station established 1959). 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 Bing has an aerial 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; the Gulf of Finland here is only 36 km (22 mi) wide). 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 very 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.
Porkkala Light
Porkkala Light, Gulf of Finland, August 2009
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Islander
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. Raimo Mäkelä's photo is at right, Esko Paunonen has a fine closeup and a view from the sea, Wikimedia has several photos, and Bing has a satellite view. The original lighthouse, built by Sweden, was destroyed during the war between Sweden and Russia in 1808-09. The present 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. Located on a small island about 7.5 km (4.5 mi) north of the Porkkala lighthouse. Accessible only by boat; the island is a military post and permission is required for visits. ARLHS FIN-086(=087).

Ekenäs Area Lighthouses
Jussarö (2)
1922 (station established 1881). 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. Finnish Wikipedia has a page with an aerial photo, Rauhala has an excellent photo, a distant view is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. The first lighthouse was built on a nearby larger island where there was room for a keeper's house, but this location was not a good one for navigational purposes. Located on Sundharun, a small, rocky island in the Gulf of Finland about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Jussarö and 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Sommarö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FIN-011; Admiralty C4980; NGA 14892.
Rönnskär Light
Rönnskär Light, Gulf of Finland, June 2010
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Raimo Mäkelä
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, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Esko Paunonen has a 2011 photo, but the location is only a faint blur in Google's satellite view. Another photo is posted by Ponvia, an engineering firm that worked on a recent renovation of the lighthouse. 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 (Ruussaari) (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, Trabas has a photo by Thomas-Michael Quatsling, 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, Finnish Wikipedia has a page with a photo and historical information, and Google has a very fuzzy satellite view. This lighthouse, the tallest of all Nordic 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
Bengtskär Light, Gulf of Finland, June 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Olli Wilkman

Utö Lighthouses
Bokullankivi
Date unknown (station established 1958). 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. Trabas has a photo. Located on a shoal 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, Finnish Wikipedia has a page with a photo and historical information., and another page with a photo is available. 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 (Saaristomeri), 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:

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

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Posted September 17, 2007. Checked and revised May 3, 2013. Lighthouses: 44. Lightships: 3. Site copyright 2013 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.