Lighthouses of Norway: Ålesund Area

One of the world's most maritime nations, Norway is long and narrow, with drowned valleys called fjords that bring the sea far inland in most regions. 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 southern part of Møre og Romsdal County in the central part of the west coast, including the port of Ålesund. This region is the traditional district called Sunnmøre.

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); a smaller light is called a lykt (light). 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. Admiralty numbers are from volumes B and L of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 115.

General Sources

Miljøstatus i Norge: Fyrstasjoner

Information on Norwegian lighthouses, with photos, posted by the Culture Ministry. Text in Norwegian.

Norwegian Lighthouse Association (Norsk Fyrhistorisk Forening)

With pages in both Norwegian and English, the Association's site provides photos and information on selected lighthouses. For photos and descriptions, see the lighthouse index page.

Lighthouse Pages from Anke and Jens - Norway

Excellent photos of more than 60 Norwegian lighthouses.

Leuchttürme an der norwegischen Küste

Photos posted by Bernd Claußen.

Norwegische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten

Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.

Liste over Norske Fyr

From Wikipedia, a handy list of Norwegian light stations with their dates of establishment.

Hogsteinen Fyr; Norwegian Culture Ministry photo

Grasøyane Fyr; Norwegian Culture Ministry photo

Southern Møre og Romsdal Lighthouses * Sylte (Strand): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a square skeletal tower covered by wood siding. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. A 2008 photo is available. Located at Sylte, on the north side of the Syltefjord about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) east of Fiskåbygd. Readily accessible from highway 61, which follows the fjord. Site open, tower closed. NF-3018; Admiralty L0540; NGA 5628.
Haugsholmen (Frekøy): 1876. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, attached to one cornr of a 2-1/2 story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted red, house white. Hildegunn Thomassen has a good photo, Roy Werkland has a photo, and another closeup photo is available. Automated in 1979. The house was reported to be abandoned and deteriorating. In 2007 it was purchased by Sande Kommune. A preservation society, Foreninga for Frekøy Fyrstasjon, has been formed to work for the restoration of the station. Located at the western tip of Frekøy, an island in the Vanylvsfjord about 10 km (6 mi) west of Larsnes. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS NOR-111; NF-3010; Admiralty L0530; NGA 5608.
Åramsund (Bleka): 1897. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal lantern and gallery mounted on a cylindrical stone beacon. Lantern painted white with a red roof; stone column painted black. A distant view is available (third row from the bottom). Located on a skerry off the ferry terminal at Åram; ferries link this point to Larnes, on the other side of the Åramsund, and to the island of Voksa. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. NF-3022; Admiralty L0542; NGA 5632.
Furnes: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white with a red roof. A good photo is available. Located on the north side of the Voldafjord about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Volda. On land, but possibly accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-3040; Admiralty L0560; NGA 5676.
Hidsneset: 1902. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical stone or concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof. No photo available. Located on a rocky point near the northwestern corner of Gurskøy, about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Kvalsund. Accessible only by boat in heavy seas. Site and tower closed. NF-3120; Admiralty L0670; NGA 5792.
* Rundesund (Rundøysund, Sæviksten): 1910. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. Octagonal lantern, painted white with a red roof. A photo is available. Located at the northern tip of the island of Remøya, beside the south end of the Rundebrua, the bridge from Remøya to Runde. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-412; NF-3262; Admiralty L0726; NGA 6012.
** Runde (Rundøy) (4): 1935 (station established 1767). Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting, period not listed by NGA. 14 m (46 ft) 2-story square masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Building painted white, lantern red. The Lighthouse Association has a page with a photo of the station, and a 2008 closeup and a view from the sea are available. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1826. A cast iron tower was installed in 1858, and the base of that tower remains. Automated in 2002, the station now has overnight accommodations for groups of up to 20 hikers, in tours arranged by the Ålesund-Sunnmøre Tourist Association. The northernmost of a group of pictureseque islands, Runde (Rundøy) is accessible from the mainland by a series of bridges. Located on the northwestern tip of the island, accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower open to guided tours. Site manager: Ålesund-Sunnmøre Turistforening. ARLHS NOR-050; NF-3270; Admiralty L0722; NGA 6024.
Ulsteinvik Havn (Dragsundet) Øst: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); continuous green light. 7 m (23 ft) square skeletal tower, covered with siding, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. There is also an Ulsteinvik Havn Vest light, probably similar in appearance. Located on a skerry marking the east side of the entrance to the harbor of Ulstein, a fairly large town on the west side of the island of Hareidlandet. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-3173.01; Admiralty L0703.5
Ålesund Area Lighthouses Flisneset: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof painted red. The Kystverket has a photo (click on photo 3 of row 1). Located on a point of land projecting into the Storfjord, about 3 km (2 mi) southeast of Vegsundet. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-103; NF-3057; Admiralty L0576; NGA 5696.
* Hogsteinen: 1857. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 13 m (43 ft) old-style round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. A photo appears at the top of this page, and Martin Sercombe also has a photo. The original lantern was replaced in 1905. Built at the end of a stone mole, the light marks the southernmost point of the island of Godøya. The island is connected to Ålesund by a series of bridges and tunnels. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-121; NF-3285; Admiralty L0756; NGA 6044.
Central Møre og Ramsdal Lighthouses Erkna (2): 1950 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft) and, for a second light, 44 m (144 ft); both lights show white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 10 s. This light displays no less than 18 sectors. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower, attached to a 1-1/2 story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Rune Molnes has posted a good photo. The original lighthouse was destroyed in 1945. Erkna is an island about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Alnes Fyr. Located atop a bluff on the northwestern coast of the island. Accessible only by boat in heavy seas; there may be a distant view from Alnes Fyr. Site status unknown. ARLHS NOR-011; NF-3405; Admiralty L0852; NGA 6212.
* Synes (Syneset) (4): 1959 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Foundations of the second (1913) lighthouse are beside the tower. Located at the tip of a promontory at Synes, in the southwestern corner of the island of Vigra. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-239; NF-3400; Admiralty L0842; NGA 6208.
Storholmen: 1920. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting, period not listed by NGA. 22 m (72 ft) round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a round cylindrical 2-story stone base. Lighthouse painted red, except the stone base is painted white. Several distant photos are available, and the Lighthouse Association has a historic photo. Located on a tiny skerry in the Norwegian Sea about 6 km (3.5 mi) due north of Erkna and 8 km (5 mi) northwest of the populated island of Vigra. Probably this remote lighthouse is only accessible safely by helicopter; there may be a distant view from Vigra. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NOR-231; NF-3420; Admiralty L0854; NGA 6224.
Hellevik (Range Rear) (1): 1881. Inactive since 1988. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the seaward end of a 1-1/2 story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. The lighthouse was the rear light of a range from sometime in the early 1900s until 1988. Located at Hellevik on the north side of the island of Lovsøya, which is 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northeast of Vigra. Site and tower closed (private residence). ARLHS NOR-114.
Hellevik (2) (former Range Front): 1988 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower, covered with white siding, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Located about 400 m (1/4 mi) west of the historic lighthouse. Site and tower closed (private residence). NF-3441; Admiralty L0864; NGA 6240.
Kjeholmen: 1916. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower, covered with white siding, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Located at the western tip of the island of Fjørtofta. May be accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-3455; Admiralty L0876; NGA 6264.
Fjørtoftneset: 1916. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 8 s off. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower, covered with white siding, with lantern and gallery, mounted on four straight piles. Located on the south coast of Fjørtofta about 3.5 km (2 mi) east of the Kjeholmen lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. NF-3456; Admiralty L0880; NGA 6268.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key