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 Maritime Administration (Merenkulkulaitos). 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 Suomen Majakat Photos and accounts (in Finnish) posted the Finnish Maritime Administration. Online List of Lights - Finland Photos of lights in the Helsinki area posted by Alex Trabas. Finnish Lighthouses Excellent photos of the some of the better known lighthouses, taken by Mikko Rauhala. 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, July 2007 Creative Commons photo by Maija Erkolahti

Kotka Area Lighthouses
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. 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.

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. 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 lanern atop a light tower in the aft portion of the ship. Vessel painted red. Esko Kurvinen has a closeup photo. 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 continues. the ship will reopen to visitors in 2010. Site and vessel presently closed. 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 photo. 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. A photo is available, also a second photo. Located on the northern tip of the island of Kaunisaari, 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. Located on an islet about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Söderby. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty C5349; NGA 13780.

Porvoo Area Lighthouses
Orrengrund

Date unknown. 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. Tower painted white with a black band at the base, lantern painted black. Orrengrund is an island about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Söderby and 18 km (12 mi) southeast of Loviisa. Located at the west end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. 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.

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. FMA has a small photo. 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 1832. Inactive since 1862. No photo available. 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. 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 Silferberg's photo appears at right, Tero Koski has a nice photo of the station, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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. Site open, 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, incorporating 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, and Trabas has a distant photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The lighthouse replaced a historic lightship station. 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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Wikipedia has a nice aerial view of the entire island. 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. 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. Korkeasaari is an island on the east side of Helsinki. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C5172; NGA 14488. *** 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. Niklas Sjöblom has a good closeup photo. 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 continues to function as a restaurant. Located on the waterfront in downtown Helsinki. Site open, vessel open during the dinner meal daily. ARLHS FIN-108.

Helsinki Light, June 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Lightship Helsinki

1918. Decommissioned. There are a number of photos, including one good photo from October 2006, of what appears to be this lightship moored in Helsinki. The ship has Helsinki on its side, but it carries the nameplate Hyöky on the bow. No further information available. ARLHS FIN-027.

* 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. 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, Björn Magnus's has a closeup photo of the other side, 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, 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
Porkkala (Kallbådan) (3)

1928. 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. An excellent closeup is available, also a second closeup. The Porkkala Peninsula projects southwestward into the Gulf of Finland about 25 km (15 mi) west of Helsinki. Soviet troops occupied Porkkala in 1944, and the Soviet Union continued to occupy the area as a military base until 1956. 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 estabvlished 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. A fine closeup is available. 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. 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).

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, and a distant view is available. 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. 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 14994.

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, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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 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. FMA has a small photo. 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. Olli Wilkman's photo appears at right, Rauhala also has a good photo, Olli Hassinen has an aerial photo, and FMA has a page with a photo and historical information (in Finnish). This lighthouse, the tallest of all Scandinavian lighthouses and Finland's best known lighthouse, 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 July 26, 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 Lighthouse
* 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, Wikipedia has a closeup photo, 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:

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Posted September 17, 2007. Checked and revised January 14, 2009. Lighthouses: 31. Lightships: 3. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.