Lighthouses of Sweden: Halland

This page covers lighthouses of southern Sweden in the county of Halland (Hallands Län). Halland lies between the major cities of Göteborg and Helsingborg; it faces west on the Kattegat, the broad sound separating Sweden and Denmark. Varberg and Halmstad are the largest coastal towns in the county. The Swedish word for a lighthouse is fyr. The front light of a range is the nedrefyr (lower light) and the rear light is the övrefyr (upper light). Aids to navigation in Sweden are maintained by the Swedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket). Many of the major lighthouses have resident attendents, and guided tours can often be arranged. The Swedish Lighthouse Society (Svenska Fyrsällskapet) works for the preservation of the lighthouses. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. SV numbers are from the Sjöfarsverket light list (Fyrlista) as reported by the Swedish Lighthouse Society. 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 Swedish Lighthouse Society (Svenska Fyrsällskapet, SFA) The Society has a large web site, and some of the information is available in English as well as Swedish. An interactive map links to pdf pages (in Swedish) for the major lighthouses, and there is a list of photos available. Online List of Lights - Sweden Photos of navigational aids posted by Alex Trabas. Lighthouses in Sweden Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com. Lighthouse Pages from Anke and Jens - Sweden Photos and brief accounts (in English) by two German lighthouse fans. Henning Jensen's Lighthouse Pages Photos and comments for about 20 lighthouses, posted by an employee of the Maritime Administration who helps maintain the lighthouses. Swedish Lighthouse Selection Page Photos posted by Pete Amass. Fyrar Photos taken from the seaposted by Bosse Arnholm. Schwedische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.

Nidingen Fyr (northeast tower), July 2008 photo copyright Jonas Karlsson; used by permission

Nidingen Area (Offshore) Lighthouses
** Nidingen (1)

1832. Inactive since 1946. 19 m (62 ft) hexagonal cylindrical rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted; the lantern dome is gray metallic. SFA has an aerial photo by C. Lagerwall and a view from the sea by E. Hillberg, Huelse has a historic postcard view of this station, and Google has a satellite view. This is the southwesternmost of a pair of twin lighthouses built in 1832. Nidingen is a low island about 1 km (0.6 mi) long, located dangerously in the Kattegat about 6 km (3.5 mi) off the nearest point of the Swedish coast. Open fires were displayed here as early as 1624. This pair of twin lighthouses was raised in height in 1846. The 3rd order Fresnel lens (1890) was transferred to the new lighthouse 100 years later. Three 1-story keeper's houses are available for overnight accommodations, and another building of the station is available for meetings and conferences. Transportation for both day and overnight visitors is available from Gottskär on the mainland. Located in the Kattegat about 10 km (6 mi) southwest of Gottskär; accessible only by boat. Site open, tower open to guided tours. Site manager: Gottskär Kurs & Konferens. ARLHS SWE-288.

** Nidingen (2)

1832. Inactive since 1946. 19 m (62 ft) hexagonal cylindrical rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted; the lantern dome is gray metallic. Jonas Karlsson's photo is above. This is the northeasternmost of the Nidingen twin towers. Site open, tower open to guided tours. ARLHS SWE-428.

* Nidingen (3)

1946 (station established 1832). Active; focal plane 25.5 m (83 ft); three flashes in a 2+1 pattern, white or red depending on direction, every 27 s. 23.5 m (77 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and two galleries, painted white with one black horizontal band. 3rd order Fresnel lens transferred from the original southwest tower. Jonas Karlsson has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. See above for additional information on this station. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-289; SV-7443; Admiralty C0670; NGA 1228.

Lilleland Rev

1945. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 1.5 s on, 1.5 s off. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and three galleries, painted with black and white horizontal bands. SFA has a photo by C. Lagerwall, and there is a photo on the Nidingen web site (fifth photo in fourth row). Located on a reef in the water about 1.9 km (1.2 mi) northeast of the Nidingen lighthouses. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-258; SV-7449; Admiralty C0666; NGA 1232.

Fladen

1969. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); one long white flash every 8 s. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with upper and lower galleries and a helipad on top. Upper half of the lighthouse painted red, lower half black. SFA has an aerial photo by C. Lagerwall. This tower, a sibling of the Trubaduren lighthouse off Göteborg, replaced the lightship Fladen now on display at Göteborg. Located on a shoal in the open Kattegat about 10 km (6 mi) south southwest of Nidingen. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-135; SV-7419; Admiralty C0671; NGA 1296.

Gottskär and Varberg Area Lighthouses
Malö

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); three flashes every 9 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. SFA has a photo by E. Hillberg, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the southern point of the island of Malö, about 6 km (3.5 mi) southwest of Gottskär. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-446; SV-7452; Admiralty C0673; NGA 1236.

Malö Hamn

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (16 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a concrete base. Lantern painted white. Trabas has a photo, SFA has a photo by E. Hillberg, and Google has a satellite view. This light is not on the island of Malö but on the mainland, on the east side of the entrance of Skallanas harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7469; Admiralty C0664; NGA 1240.

Fjordskär (2) Date unknown (station established 1882). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round lantern mounted on a large concrete base. Lantern painted white. Trabas has a photo, SFA has a photo by C. Lagerwall, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic photo that shows an octagonal lantern. We do not know if the outsized concrete base formerly supported a larger lighthouse. Located on a skerry on the west side of the entrance to the bay known as the Kungsbackafjord, about 3 km (2 mi) south of Gottskär. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7457; Admiralty C0674; NGA 1244. * Krogstadsudda (Bua) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); four flashes every 12 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Trabas has a photo, a sunset closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Krogstadsudde, the promontory on the north side of the entrance to the Båtfjord, opposite Bua. Located in the Biskopshagens Naturreservat, the light is accessible by a short walk from the nature reserve's parking area. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C0682; NGA 1268. Klåback Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern mounted on a concrete base. Lantern painted white. SFA has a photo by C. Lagerwall, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the island of Balgö and 9 km (5.5 mi) northwest of Varberg. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7414; Admiralty C0684; NGA 1300. [Skrivareklippen (Varberg(1))] 1871. Inactive since 1934. The lighthouse, a cast iron tower seen in Huelse's postcard view, was replaced by Subbeberget (next entry) and has been demolished. The 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house and other station buildings survive in private ownership. A photo is available (fifth photo on the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island in the entrance to Varberg harbor, about 1.5 km (1 mi) northwest of the Subbeberget Fyr. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. * Subbeberget (Varberg (2)) 1934. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white light, 5 s on, 5 s off, 5 s on, 15 s off. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Petter Duvander's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, SFA has a good photo by C. Lagerwall, a distant view from Varberg's beach is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory at the south side of the entrance to Varberg. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-381; SV-7394; Admiralty C0704; NGA 1340.

Subbeberget Fyr, November 2008 Creative Commons photo by Petter Duvander

Falkenberg and Halmstad Area Lighthouses

* Glommen

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical tower mounted on a round 1-story concrete base. Lighthouse painted white. Per Siedberg has a photo, and SFA has a photo by D. Eriksson. Located at the end of the breakwater at Glommen. This is not a walkable pier. Site and tower closed. SV-7375; Admiralty C0714; NGA 1356.

* Morups Tånge 1843. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 8 s. 28 m (92 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with two narrow black horizontal bands. The original 2nd order Fresnel lens remains in use; it is the oldest active Fresnel lens in Sweden and one of the oldest in the world. Steffen Ramsaier's photo is at right, Trabas has a fine photo, SFA has a photo by S. Björnson, Håkan Dahlströhm has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a fine satellite view. Morups Tånge is a low peninsula projecting into the Kattegat about 8 km (5 mi) west of Falkenberg. The area is a nature reserve known as one of the best birding locations in southern Sweden. The historic lighthouse was restored in 1975. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-048; SV-7343; Admiralty C0716; NGA 1360. Falkenbergs Hamn (Falkenberg West Breakwater) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); light 2 s on, 6 s off, white, red or green, depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with two narrow red horizontal bands. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater at the entrance to Falkenberg. The pier does not appear to be walkable. Site and tower closed. Admiralty C0722; NGA 1368. * Tylön (Tylö, Tylösand) 1870 (Gustav von Heidenstam). Inactive since 1968. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) octagonal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. SFA has an excellent photo by E. Hillberg, Sofia Nilsson has a 2007 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was replaced by the offshore Tylögrund lighthouse (next entry). By 2008 the lighthouse was in a precarious condition, swaying in strong winds. The State Property Board (Fastighetsverk) then carried out a complete restoration of the structure. Tylön is an island just off a cape at Tylösand, about 10 km (6 mi) west of Halmstad. The island is now a nature reserve; most of it is closed during the bird nesting season, April 1 through July 15. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Statens Fastighetsverk. ARLHS SWE-399.

Morups Tånge Fyr, August 2008 Creative Commons photo by Steffen Ramsaier

Tylögrund

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); three long (3 s) white flashes every 30 s. 23 m (75 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with upper and lower galleries and a helipad on top. Lighthouse painted red, lantern and galleries white. This light replaced the Tylön lighthouse (previous entry). Trabas has a distant view. SFA's aerial photo by C. Lagerwal shows a helipad, since removed, atop the lighthouse. Located in the Kattegat about 1 km (0.6 mi) southwest of the Tylön lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-398; SV-7308; Admiralty C0735; NGA 1404.

Halmstad Vågbrytare (Breakwater)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) triangular skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof painted red. The tower also carries a vertically slatted daymark painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has a good photo, SFA has a photo by E. Hillberg, and a Google satellite view is available. Located at the end of the long breakwater of Halmstad. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. SV-7313; Admiralty C0738; NGA 1416.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Varberg West Mole (1884-?). ARLHS SWE-419.

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted April 9, 2007. Checked and revised October 30, 2009. Lighthouses: 16; lightships: 1. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.