Lighthouses of Norway: Oslo Area and Lake Mjosa

Norway is one of the world's most maritime nations. The country is long and narrow, with drowned valleys called fjords that bring the sea far inland in most regions. The mainland coast is estimated to be 2650 km (1650 mi) long, and when all the islands and minor indentations are counted the total coastline approaches an astonishing 60,000 km (37,500 mi), long enough the go around the world one and a half times. With such a lengthy and rocky shore, it's not surprising that Norway has a large number of lighthouses.

This page lists lighthouses of the Oslo area in the southeastern corner of the country, including the three counties of Akershus, Oslo, and Buskerud. These lighthouses guides vessels on the upper Oslofjord, the broad estuary leading to the capital city of Oslo. Also included are several inland lighthouses on Lake Mjøsa.

Although it has always been considered a separate realm, Norway has only been independent since 1905; it was ruled by the Danish king until 1814 and then by the Swedish king until the Norwegian parliament arranged a peaceful separation of the two kingdoms.

In Norway a lighthouse is simply called a fyr (fire) or sometimes a fyrtårn (fire tower). Aids to navigation are maintained by the Kystverket (Coast Directorate), an agency of the Fiskeri og Kystdepartementet (Fisheries and Coast Department).

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. NF numbers are from the Norsk Fyrliste, the official Norwegian light list. Admiralty numbers are from volume B of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 115.

General Sources
Norwegian Lighthouse Association (Norsk Fyrhistorisk Forening)
With pages in both Norwegian and English, the Association's site provides photos and information on selected lighthouses. There are pages for each county: Akershus | Oslo | Buskerud.
Norway - Skagerrak
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas; nearly all of these photos were taken by Michael Boucher, Ronald Wöhrn, or Capt. Peter Mosselberger.
Leuchttuerme.net - Oslo Fjord
Photos posted by Malte Werning.
Lighthouse Pages from Anke and Jens - Norway
Good photos and and brief accounts for some of the Oslofjord lighthouses, in English.
World Lighthouses - Norway
Photos by James Christie.
Norway Lighthouses
Photos by Larry Myhre.
Lighthouses in Norway
Photos available from Wikimedia.
36th Lighthouse Expedition
Photos and accounts from a 2000 U.S. Lighthouse Society tour, by David, Donald, and Diana Carter.
Norwegische Leuchttürme
Photos by Klaus Huelse.
Norsk Fyrliste
2011 edition of the Norwegian light list.
Norwegische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images, also posted by Klaus Huelse.
Liste over Norske Fyr
From Norwegian Wikipedia, a handy list of Norwegian light stations with their dates of establishment.

Kavringen Fyr
Kavringen Light, Oslo, September 2011
photo copyright Michael Boucher; used by permission

Akershus County Lighthouses (East Side Oslofjord)

Frogn (Drøbak Area) Lighthouses
* [Elle Fog Bell]
1911. Inactive since 1983. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) square "Swiss-chalet" wood fog bell tower with open bell enclosure and bell. Tower painted white; roof is black. Anke and Jens have a closeup photo, and Huelse also has a photo, but the tiny tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. The original bell and striking mechanism are preserved at this historic little tower. Located on the east side of Oslofjorden near Drøbak, on the south side of Frogn. Site open. Site manager: Follo Museum.
* Drøbak Tollboden (Customs House)
1868. Inactive since 1961. 2-story wood building, painted gray, with a terra cotta tile roof. The light is mounted on a dormer window on the second floor. Boucher's photo is at right, Wong C. Ho also has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at 43 Storgata on the waterfront of Drøbak's traditional harbor. Site open, building status unknown.
* Drøbak Molo (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1s off. 4 m (13 ft) round fiberglass lantern on a concrete base. Lantern is white with a red roof. Trabas has posted an excellent photo by Boucher, and Google has a satellite view. This light replaced an octagonal metal lantern; Huelse has a photo, Werning has a wider view, Oliver Tomic has a good photo, and Elin Enger has a closeup of the older lantern. In the nineteenth century, Drøbak served as a winter harbor for Oslo. Located at the end of the short mole on the north side of the harbor at Frogn, about 700 m (0.45 mi) north of the historic customs house. Readily accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-068; NF-0191; Admiralty B2359.
Småskjærene
2010. Active; focal plane 8.5 m (28 ft); red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery, mounted on a small platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white with two narrow red horizontal bands; lantern roof is red. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on the west side of the main channel of the Oslofjord about 800 m (1/2 mi) northwest of the Drøbak mole. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0193; Admiralty B2363.3; NGA 0386.5.
Drøbak Tollboden
Drøbak Tollboden, September 2011
contributed photo copyright Michael Boucher; used by permission
Drøbakgrunnen
2010. Active; focal plane 8.5 m (28 ft); red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery, mounted on a small platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white with two narrow green horizontal bands; lantern roof is red. Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This light replaced a buoy. Located on the east side of the main channel of the Oslofjord about 800 m (1/2 mi) northwest of the Drøbak mole. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0194; Admiralty B2363.32; NGA 0386.6.
Kaholmen
Date unknown (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a large rock. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Werning has a closeup photo, Trabas has a photo by Wöhrn, Huelse also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the east end of Kaholmen, an island in the Oslofjord about 1 km (0.6 mi) northwest of Drøbak. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0195; Admiralty B2364; NGA 0396.
Langebåt
2009. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white or green light, depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. 12 m (39 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one green horizontal band; lantern roof painted red. Christie has a photo of the light under construction in 2008, and Google has a satellite view. Located off the end of the Langebåt peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0196.3; Admiralty B2368; NGA 0413.
Tronstadodden
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 13 m (43 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Werning has a great photo, Huelse has a photo, Trabas has a photo by Wöhrn, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located just off the east coast of Håøy, an island in the Oslofjord about 2 km (1.25 mi) northwest of Drøbak. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0196.6; Admiralty B2370; NGA 0408.
Storegrunnen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 8 m (26 ft) hexagonal stone pier with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof, pier painted black. Huelse has a closeup, Werning has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal in the Oslofjord about 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of Drøbak. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0199; Admiralty B2376; NGA 0404.

Nesodden Lighthouses
* Digerudgrunnen (2)
Date unknown (station established 1871). Inactive since 1975 (?). 11 m (36 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is red. Werning's photo is at right, the Lighthouse Association has a page with a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located just offshore on the east side of Oslofjorden near the end of the Digerudgbakken road, about 1.5 km (1 mi) southwest of Fagerstrand. Accessible only by boat, but there's a good view from shore. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-067; ex-Admiralty B2378; ex-NGA 0416.
Digerudgrunnen Fyr
Digerudgrunnen Light, Nesodden
photo copyright Malte Werning; used by permission
Digerud Søndre
2009. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); green light occulting once every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery, mounted on a small platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white with one narrow green horizontal band; lantern roof is red. Trabas has a photo by Rainer Arndt, but the light is too new to appear in Google's satellite view. Located about 150 m (170 yd) northwest of the Digerudgrunnen lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0199.9; Admiralty B2378.1; NGA 0417.
Digerud Nordre
2009. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light occulting once every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery, mounted on a small platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white with two narrow green horizontal bands; lantern roof is red. The light is too new to appear in Google's satellite view. Located about 300 m (330 yd) northwest of the Digerudgrunnen lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0200; Admiralty B2378.
Ristodden
2008. Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); red or white light depending on direction, occulting once every 4 s. 10.5 m (34 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery, mounted on a small platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white with one narrow red horizontal band; lantern roof is red. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, but the light is barely visible in Google's satellite view. Located on the west side of the channel off the northeastern end of Haøya. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0201; Admiralty B2378.2; NGA 0418.
Aspond (Søndre) (2)
2008 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery, mounted on a small platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white with a narrow green horizontal band, lantern roof red. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, and Huelse has a photo, but the light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located off the east side of the island of Aspond. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0201.5; Admiralty B2378.3; NGA 0419.
Langara (2)
2008 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white flash every 5 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a narrow red horizontal band, lantern roof red. Huelse has a photo, but the light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located off the east side of the island of Langara. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0206; Admiralty B2384; NGA 0428.
* Spro
Date unknown (station established 1896). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof painted red. Werning has a photo, Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, Huelse has a closeup, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the shoreline in Spro, near the end of the Nordre Sprovei. Site and tower closed (private property), but the light can be seen from nearby. NF-0208; Admiralty B2388; NGA 0432.
* [Søndre Langåra Fog Bell]
1896. Inactive since 1967. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) square "Swiss-chalet" wood fog bell tower with open bell enclosure and bell. Tower painted white; roof is green. 1-story wood keeper's house and boathouse. Anke and Jens have excellent photos, Wikimedia has M. Prinke's photo, a more distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. This is believed to have been the only staffed fog signal station (with no lighthouse) in Norway. Located at the northern end of Lågøya, a long, slender island in the Oslofjord off Spro. Accessible only by boat. Site manager: unknown.
Steilene (2)
1984 (station established 1837). Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 8 m (27 ft) post with a small lantern and gallery. The adjacent 1-1/2 story keeper's house may have served as a lighthouse as well, but we do not have historical information on this station. Asbjørn Floden's photo is at right, Werning has a photo, the Lighthouse Association has a page with a photo, Huelse has a photo, Trabas has a photo by Rainer Arndt, John Åvitsland also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view of the station. The house is now available for overnight stays (for guests in good condition: transportation to the island is by rowboat). Located on the southwest end of one of a group of small islands on the east side of Oslofjorden about 2 km (1.2 mi) northwest of Fjellstrand. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Oslofjordens Friluftsråd (Oslofjord Outdoor Recreation Council). ARLHS NOR-229; NF-0209; Admiralty B2392; NGA 0440.
Fyrsteilene (Steilene Northeast)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 3 m (10 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 8 s. Octagonal lantern, painted white with a red roof. Werning has a photo, Huelse has a photo, Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the northeast point of the island, only a short distance from the Steilene lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-320; NF-0210; Admiralty B2394; NGA 0444.
Steilene Fyr
Steilene Light, Nesodden, June 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Asbjørn Floden
Ildjernsflu
1968 (lightship station established 1914). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white flash every 5 s. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, mounted on a round concrete pier. Lighthouse painted white with one narrow red horizontal band; lantern roof painted red. Huelse has an excellent photo, Trabas has Boucher's distant view, a closeup photo is available (near the bottom of the page), and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original lightship sank after being rammed by the steamship Storesand I in February 1929; the wreck is well-preserved and is a popular destination for divers. Located on the east side of the Oslofjord about 1 km (0.6 mi) offshore west of Nesodden. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-129; NF-0213; Admiralty B2402; NGA 0468.
* Nesodden
1902 (fog signal station established 1883). Inactive since 2009. 4 m (13 ft) lantern mounted on tripod piles on a concrete base. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red, piles black. The station was established in 1883 with the historic fog bell tower seen in Boucher's photo at right. Trabas has a good photo by Wöhrn, a sunset photo is available, Huelse also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located just offshore at the northernmost point of land in Nesodden, on the south side of the entrance to Oslo harbor. Site open, tower closed. NF-0218; ex-Admiralty B2404; NGA 0472.
Østre Tangflu
2009. Active; focal plane 8.5 m (28 ft); red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery, mounted on a small platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white with two narrow green horizontal bands; lantern roof is red. Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light replaced a buoy. Located about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) northeast of the former Nesodden light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0219; Admiralty B2404.3; NGA 0473.
* Nordre Langøy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 4 m (14 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 8 s. 4 m (14 ft) octagonal white aluminum lantern, mounted directly on the ground. Trabas has Boucher's distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the north side of the island of Langøy in the inner Oslofjorden. Island accessible by ferry. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-301; NF-0225; Admiralty B2406; NGA 0476.
Nesodden Fog Bell Tower
Nesodden Fog Bell, September 2011
contributed photo copyright Michael Boucher; used by permission

Oslo County Lighthouses

Oslo Harbor Lighthouses
Note: There are about two dozen small lights marking various shoals and banks in Oslo harbor. The Directory lists some of the larger and more conspicuous lights but omits smaller examples.
Rambergskårflu
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red flash every 3 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) lantern, painted white with a red roof, mounted on a round stone pier. Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located southwest of Heggholmen, one of several islands off the Oslo waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0226; Admiralty B2407; NGA 0474.
Stangskjærrabben (2)
Date unknown (station established 1892). Active; focal plane 6 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting in groups of three. 7 m (23 ft) hexagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof painted red. Trabas has Boucher's photo, a closeup is available, a second photo (about 1/4 the way down the page) has a wider view, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the harbor south of Lindøy and about 600 m (3/8 mi) west of the Heggholmen lighthouse (next entry). Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0230; Admiralty B2410; NGA 0480.
* Heggholmen (Gressholmen)
1827. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); green light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 15 m (49 ft) 1-1/2 story "Swiss-chalet" wood keeper's house topped by a belfry-like fog bell tower; bell removed. The 6th order Fresnel lens is mounted in a small lantern on a ledge low on a front corner of the building. Lighthouse painted white. Huelse's photo is at right, Trabas has Boucher's 2011 photo, the Lighthouse Association has a page with a photo, a photo from the east shows the Stangskjærrabben light in the background, and Google has a satellite view. This remarkable old lighthouse is preserved as a historic monument. Located on a short jetty on the north point of Heggholmen, an island in the inner Oslofjord, marking a secondary channel approaching the city. There is a village on the island, and ferry transportation from the city is available. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Oslo Havnevesen (port authority). ARLHS NOR-112; NF-0231; Admiralty B2412; NGA 0488.
Nakkholmsteinen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); green light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 6 m (20 ft) lantern mounted on a round stone pier. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal about 400 m (1/4 mi) west of the island of Nakkholmen. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0228; Admiralty B2416.5; NGA 0475.1.
Blindskjærbåen (Blindeskjær)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (16 ft); red flash every 3 s. 5 m (16 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on four straight piles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock off the southeast side of Bleikøy, a forested island only a few hundred meters off the waterfront of downtown Oslo. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-377; NF-0238; Admiralty B2417.2; NGA 0502.
Heggholmen Fyr
Heggholmen Light, Oslo
photo copyright Klaus Huelse; used by permission
Daggerskjærgrunnen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5.5 m (18 ft); nine very quick white flashes every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) lantern mounted on a round stone pier. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located of the western tip of Bleikøy. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-378; NF-0233; Admiralty B2415; NGA 0493.
Bleikøy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 3 m (10 ft); white or red light depending on direction; occulting, period not listed by NGA. 4 m (13 ft) lantern mounted on a concrete base. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Boucher's photo, a distant photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the northeastern point of the island, which is accessible by ferry. Site status unknown. ARLHS NOR-376; NF-0234; Admiralty B2416; NGA 0504.
Sandtangen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5.5 m (18 ft); white flash every 3 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) lantern mounted on a square concrete pier. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located of the eastern tip of Hovedøya, an island just off the Oslo waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0241; Admiralty B2418; NGA 0508.
* Bygdøynes
Date unknown. Active? 4 m (13 ft) octagonal cast iron lantern, painted white. Google has a satellite view. Located at the eastern tip of the Bygdøy peninsula near the Norwegian Maritime Museum. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum.
Dyna
1875. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 8 s. 12.5 m (41 ft) wood keeper's house with a lantern in one corner and a fog bell in a steeple overhead. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Daniela Nobili's photo is at right, Tim Ove has a nice photo, the Lighthouse Stamp Society has a wonderful closeup, Trabas has a good photo by Wöhrn, Werning also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Surrounded by a stone seawall, this remarkable little lighthouse looks like a ship sailing down the Oslofjord. The keeper was also responsible for nearby lighthouses, including Koppernaglen and Kavringen. In 1992 the light station was renovated as a private banqueting facility, available for parties of 20-40 persons. Located on a rock about 200 m (220 yd) off the coast of Bygdøy about 3 km (2 mi) west of downtown Oslo. Accessible only by boat. Site open to guests with banquet reservations. Site manager: Dyna Fyr. ARLHS NOR-308; NF-0242; Admiralty B2422; NGA 0512.
Koppernaglen
Date unknown (station established 1898). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on a concrete pier. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Werning has a good photo, Trabas has Boucher's closeup, Huelse has a photo, another photo shows the location of this light, directly across the channel from the Dyna lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NOR-382; NF-0243; Admiralty B2424; NGA 0516.
Kavringsanden
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5.5 m (18 ft); very quick flashing white light. 6.5 m (21 ft) lantern mounted on a round concrete pier. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located just off the Oslo waterfront, north of the Kavringen lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0248.5; Admiralty B2429.
Nordre Kavringdynga
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); green flash every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) lantern mounted on a round concrete pier. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Boucher's photo, the light is behind the Kavringen lighthouse in Geir Halvorsen's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 200 m (650 ft) southeast of the Kavringsanden light and 300 m (1000 ft) northeast of the Kavringen lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0248.5; Admiralty B2429.
Dyna Light
Dyna Light, Oslo, August 2007
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Daniela Nobili
Kavringen
1892. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting in groups of three but NGA fails to state the period. 13 m (43 ft) octagonal wood tower with an unusual wood lantern topped by a spire. Tower painted white with one narrow red horizontal band; lantern is brown. Boucher's photo is at the top of this page, Geir Halvorsen has a great photo showing the lighthouse in front of Oslo City Hall, Werning has an excellent photo, Huelse has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. In 2006 the lighthouse was carefully restored; one of the photos on the Anke/Jens page shows this work in progress. Located in the inner harbor of Oslo, between Hovedøya and the Filipstad container terminal. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NOR-069; NF-0248; Admiralty B2428; NGA 0524.

Akershus County Lighthouses (Northwest Side Oslofjord)

Bærum Area Lighthouses
Gåsøy (Arnesflua)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal lantern and gallery mounted on a tripod on a small concrete pier. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Werning has a photo, Huelse has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Gåsøy is an inhabited island in the northern Oslofjord, accessible by a series of ferries and bridges. Located just off the south coast of Gåsøy. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0212; Admiralty B2398; NGA 0456.
Gåsungene
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (16 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 5 m (16 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on a short square tower on piles. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof painted red. Trabas has a photo by Wöhrn, Werning has a good photo, Huelse has a closeup, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Note that there is another Gåsungene Fyr in Fredrikstad. Located on a shoal in the center of the Oslofjord about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Bærum. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NOR-300; NF-0211; Admiralty B2396; NGA 0448.

Buskerud County Lighthouses

Hurum Lighthouses
Nordre Sundbyholmen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 4 m (13 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on a short concrete post. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Werning has a photo, Trabas has Rainer Arndt's distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an islet in the Oslofjord about 800 m (1/2 mi) east of Båtstø. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0202; Admiralty B2379; NGA 0420.
** Filtvet (1)
1840. Inactive since 1985. Approx. 11 m (36 ft) lantern mounted on the roof of a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. House painted white, lantern red. The active light is in front of the house on a 14 m (46 ft) cylindrical fiberglass tower with gallery. Originally the light was shown from a lantern under the front gable, and a fog bell tower was mounted on the roof; the Ringerikes Museum has a historic photo, taken in 1903, showing this configuration. Fresnel lens and blinking mechanism preserved in the lantern. Inger Bjercke's photo is at right, Werning has a good photo, Anke and Jens have photos, Camilla Luihn has a 2008 photo, Wikimedia has several photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The light station is owned by the local government, which maintains it in excellent condition. The building houses a small art gallery and is available for meetings and private parties. A support group, Filtvet Fyrs Venner, works to support the station. Located on the west side of Oslofjorden near Tofte, about 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of Hurum. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Hurum Kommune. ARLHS NOR-079.
* Filtvet (2)
1985. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 14 m (46 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one narrow red horizontal band; lantern roof is also red. Trabas has Boucher's closeup photo, and Thomas Andreas Kolding has a 2007 photo. Located in front of the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. NF-0187; Admiralty B2354; NGA 0372.
Ramvikholmen (Ranvikholmen)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, covered with white siding, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Trabas has Boucher's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Wikimedia has a photo of the island of Ramvikholmen; the lighthouse can be seen at the far left. In 2007, the island became a nature reserve. Located on the north point of a small island about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) southwest of Tofte. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-0258; Admiralty B2434; NGA 0532.
Østnestangen
Date unknown (station established 1899). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a concrete pad. Lantern painted white with a red roof. A wintry photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the tip of a sharp promontory about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Tofte. Probably accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. NF-0259; Admiralty B2436; NGA 0536.
Filtvet Light
Old and new Filtvet Lights, Hurum, July 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by zen whisk
Rødtangen (1)
1840. Inactive since 1897. 1-1/2 story wood house with a small square lantern room attached to the front of the house, a few feet above the ground. Bing has a fuzzy satellite view. The house is a private residence. Located near the modern light. Site probably closed.
* Rødtangen (2)
1897 (station established 1840). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a square concrete base. Lantern painted white with a red roof. A 2008 photo and a view from the fjord are available, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a point of land at the junction of the Oslofjord and the Dramsfjord, about 3 km (2 mi) south of Holmsbu. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-195; NF-0262; Admiralty B2440; NGA 0540.
Bjørneskjær (Range Front)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 6.5 m (21 ft) lantern mounted on a tripod. Lighthouse painted white with a red verical stripe. Trabas has Boucher's photo, Will Arentz has a small and distant photo, and Google has a satellite view. The directional light (formerly a front range light) guides vessels southbound from Svelvik. The rear light has been replaced by a triangular daymarker on a mast. Located at the northern tip of a small island just off the east coast of the Dramsfjord. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown (the island appears to be privately owned). NF-0269; Admiralty B2449; NGA 0548.

Lake Mjøsa Lighthouses

Note: Located about 100 km (60 mi) north of Osla, Lake Mjøsa is Norway's largest lake. It extends north to south through the mountains for about 117 km (73 mi). Its greatest width is 15 km (9 mi), but for most of its length it is about 5 km (3 mi) wide. Navigation on the lake is receational except for the historic paddlewheel steamboat Skibladner, which sails between Eidsvoll at the southern end of the lake and Lillehammer near the northern end.
Hedmark County Lighthouse
Hamar
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane about 6 m (20 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, light pattern unknown. 4.5 m (15 ft) round cylindrical metal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof painted red. A closeup photo is available, Huelse has a photo, Eric Okkelberg Olsen has a distant view, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on an elbow of the breakwater sheltering a pleasure boat harbor at Hamar, on the east side of Lake Mjøsa. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, and visitors can climb to the gallery. Owner/site manager: unknown.

Oppland County Lighthouse
Gjøvik
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane about 6 m (20 ft); light characteristics unknown. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a short concrete base. Andreas Fritsche's photo is at right, another photo is available, also a third photo taken in the winter, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the mole protecting the harbor of Gjøvik, on the west side of the lake. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown.

Gjøvik Light, Gjøvik, May 2008
Flickr photo copyright Andreas Fritsche; used by permission

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: South: Fredrikstad Area | West: Larvik Area

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Posted April 10, 2006. Checked and revised February 25, 2013. Lighthouses: 47. Site copyright 2013 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.