Lighthouses of Sweden: Southern Bothnia

Lighthouses of Gävleborgs Län

Nordanstig Lighthouses

Gran (1)

1886. Inactive since 1968. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) light tower mounted atop a 1-story wood keeper's house. Lantern removed. Jukka Liedes has a good photo, SFA has a fuzzy photo by J. Söderberg, and Google has a good satellite view. In 1968 the active light (focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 5 s) was moved to a short skeletal tower beside the house. In 2007 the light was reported to be scheduled for deactivation; SFA was making efforts to preserve the station. It continues to be listed in the 2010 NGA list. Located on an island in the Gulf of Bothnia about 10 km (6 mi) east of Sörfjärden. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-1634; Admiralty C6042; NGA 10732.

Mellanfjärden Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); quick-flashing light, white, red or green depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) square wood skeletal tower with gallery and a square wood lantern room; the lights are shown through a horizontal slit window. Trabas has a closeup photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the south end of an island sheltering the harbor of Mellanfjärden. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6043; NGA 10708. * Ingaskär Date unknown (station established 1917). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 10 s. 5 m (17 ft) square wood tower; the light is shown through a window. Lighthouse painted white. SFA has a photo by J. Söderberg, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island in the entrance to the small harbor of Stocka, about 18 km (11 mi) northeast of Hudiksvall. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-1665; Admiralty C6045.8; NGA 10706. Hudiksvall Lighthouses Hölickskär 1932. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 4 s on, 4 s off. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a red vertical stripe. Marvin Siefke's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, SFA has a photo by J. Söderberg, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the tip of a peninsula south of Hölick and about 20 km (13 mi) east southeast of Hudiksvall. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-1707; Admiralty C6057; NGA 10636.

Hölickskärs Fyr, Hudiksvall, August 2006 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Marvin Siefke

* Saltviksudde

Date unknown (station established 1880). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 6 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. 1-1/2 story wood keeper's cottage, also painted white. Trabas has a closeup photo, Hillberg has a photo (about 2/3 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse stands on the south side of the entrance to the Hudiksvallfjärd, the estuary leading to Hudiksvall. Located about 6 km (3.5 mi) east of Hudiksvall on the north side of the village of Saltvik. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-439; SV-1724; Admiralty C6071; NGA 10672.

Kråkskär 1908. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); four flashes every 12 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted red, lantern white. SFA has a photo by J. Söderberg, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north end of the island of Kråkön, about 7 km (4.5 mi) west of the Agö lighthouses. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-219; SV-1715; Admiralty C6062; NGA 10632. Agö (1) 1860. Inactive since 1970. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical stone tower attached to a 1-1/2 story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is gray. 1-1/2 story assistant keeper's house, painted yellow, and several additional buildings, painted red. A photo is at right, Anders Natander has a photo, SFA has a photo by J. Söderberg, Hillberg has two photos (about 3/4 the way down the page), Huelse has a historic postcard view of the station, and Google has a satellite view. Agö, or Agön, is an island projecting west to east into the Gulf of Bothnia about 20 km (13 mi) southeast of Hudiksvall. Located on the eastern tip of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-001. Agö (2) 1970 (station established 1860). Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. A photo is at right. In 2007 the light was reported to be scheduled for deactivation, and the municipality of Hudiksvall declined to take over its operation. However, the light still appears on the 2009 NGA list. Located adjacent to the historic lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-078; SV-1698; Admiralty C6060; NGA 10624.

Agös Fyren, August 2006 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Söderhamn Lighthouses

Vitgrund (Hvitgrund)

Date unknown (station established 1938). Active (maintained by local government); focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flash every 3 s, red or green depending on direction. 5.5 m (18 ft) square pyramidal wood skeletal tower with a square lantern room and gallery; the light is shown through a slit window. Lantern room painted white; the rest of the lighthouse is unpainted. Hillberg has a photo (about 3/4 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. In 2007 the light was reported to be scheduled for deactivation, but the municipality of Långvind acquired and restored the light and continues its operation. Located on a small island about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Skärså. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-440; SV-1776; Admiralty C6083; NGA 10604.

Prästgrundet (Prästholmen)

Date unknown (station established 1934). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); four flashes every 12 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a black horizontal band around the lantern. Hillberg has a photo (about 3/4 the way down the page), Anders Natandar has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. In 2007 the light was reported to be scheduled for deactivation, but it was still listed at last report. Located on an island about 13 km (8 mi) east northeast of Söderhamn. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-438; SV-1784; Admiralty C6086.2; NGA 10600.

Otterhällen

Date unknown (station established 1934). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted green. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an islet on the north side of the entrance to Söderhamn. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6093; NGA 10548.

Garpholmen

Date unknown (station established 1900). Active; focal plane 3 m (10 ft); quick-flashing light , white, red or green depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern centered on a square foundation. Entire lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a photo, Hillberg has a photo (about 4/5 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. This light is also on the north side of the entrance to Söderhamn. Located about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) southeast of Klapparvik. Site open, tower closed. SV-1827; Admiralty C6102; NGA 10564.

Norrutharet Date unknown (station established 1883). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); three flashes every 9 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a view from the sea, Hillberg has a photo (about 4/5 the way down the page), and a distant view is available. Located on a small island about 11 km (7 mi) east of Söderhamn. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-437; SV-1797; Admiralty C6088; NGA 10532. Hällgrund 1952. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); two long (2 s) flashes every 15 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 23 m (75 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a round concrete pier. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band in the middle of the tower. Hillberg has a photo (about 3/4 the way down the page), SFA has a photo by H. Fryklund, and another photo and a distant view are available. The lighthouse formerly carried a helipad, as seen in an older photo by E. Hillberg. Located on a shoal about 15 km (9 mi) east of Söderhamn. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-172; SV-1790; Admiralty C6087; NGA 10528. Vallvik (Fäbodvallshararna) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 7.5 m (25 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red horizontal band. Trabas has a closeup photo, but the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view of the area. Located on a spit on the south side of the entrance to Ljusne, about 13 km (8 mi) south of Söderhamn. Site status unknown. ARLHS SWE-479; Admiralty C6112; NGA 10524. Storjungfrun 1838. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 6 s off. 21 m (69 ft) round old-style stone tower with lantern and gallery. Lower half of the lighthouse painted white, upper half black with white trim. Several wood keeper's houses and other light station buildings. 2nd order Fresnel lens, transferred from the Landsort lighthouse in the Nynäshamn area in 1938. A photo is at right, Hillberg has several photos (near the bottom of the page), SFA has a photo by H. Nilsson, another photo is available, Mikeal Granlund has a view from the harbor, Huelse has a historic postcard view showing a different pattern in the daymark, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the eastern point of the island of Storjungfrun, about 15 km (9 mi) southeast of Söderhamn. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-064; SV-1890; Admiralty C6122; NGA 10476.

Storjungfruns Fyr Trollharens Turistservice photo

Gävle Lighthouses

Gåshällan (2)

1943 (station established 1927). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); four flashes every 12 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with octagonal lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. A photo is available, and the shadow of the tower is seen in Google's satellite view of the area. Located on a skerry about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Norrsundet. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-147; Admiralty C6146; NGA 10464.

Trödjehällan Date unknown (station established 1883). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); three flashes every 9 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower, probably with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern red. A distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a skerry off the eastern tip of the island of Eskön, roughly 15 km (9 mi) northeast of Gävle. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SWE-396; Admiralty C6174; NGA 10428. *** Bönan (1) 1840. Inactive since the 1920s. 16 m (52 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with a wood lantern room and gallery, attached to a 1-story wood keeper's cottage. Tower painted white on the two seaward sides, otherwise red; lantern painted white. A Sjöfartsverket photo is at right, a 2007 photo and a wintry view are available, Hillberg has a photo (near the bottom of the page), Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The old lighthouse has been renovated as a museum. Located in a waterfront park at the end of the Gråbergsvägen in Bönan, on the north side of the entrance to Gävle harbor. Site open, museum schedule unknown; it appears that the tower is open for climbing when the museum is open. ARLHS SWE-004. * Bönan (3) 1957 (station established 1840). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Two sides of the tower also carry a slatted daymark. Entire lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a closeup photo, Eric Wickstrom has a photo, Hillberg has a photo (near the bottom of the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located about 100 m (110 yd) east of the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-100; SV-1985; Admiralty C6184; NGA 10356. Gävle Entrance No. 1 1931. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern, mounted on a concrete pier. Tower painted white with a black horizontal band at the base; lantern painted red with a white roof. Trabas has a photo, the light is in the right background of a photo of the channel entrance, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the entrance to the Gävle entrance channel. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6186; NGA 10372.

1840 Bönans Fyr, Gävle Sjöfartsverket photo

Gävle Entrance No. 2

1931. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); continuous green light. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern, mounted on a concrete pier. Tower painted white with a black horizontal band at the base; lantern painted green with a white roof. Trabas has a photo (with light #1 in the background), the light is at left center of a photo of the channel entrance, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the Gävle entrance channel. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6188; NGA 10376.

Gävle Entrance No. 3

1931. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); continuous green light. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern, mounted on a concrete pier. Tower painted white with a black horizontal band at the base; lantern painted green with a white roof. Trabas has a photo, the light is in the center of a photo of the channel entrance, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the Gävle entrance channel. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6190; NGA 10380.

Gävle Entrance No. 4 1931. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern, mounted on a concrete pier. Tower painted white with a black horizontal band at the base; lantern painted red with a white roof. Trabas has a photo, Jimmi Gilljam has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the Gävle entrance channel. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6194; NGA 10384. * Limö (Övre) (1) 1902. Inactive since 1980. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal wood tower with a pyramidal roof; the light(s) must have been shown through windows. Building painted red. Hillberg has a photo (at the bottom of the page), the SFA journal Blänket has a 1998 article on the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Limö is an island about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) long in the entrance to Gävle harbor. The light was the common rear light for two ranges, one for ships approaching from the east and one for vessels approaching from the northeast. The city of Gävle restored the lighthouse in the late 1990s, and it is now occupied in the summer by artists who apply for scholarship support to work there. Located near the eastern end of the island. Passenger ferry service to the island is available. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-262. * Limö (Övre) (2) 1980 (station established 1902). Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 21 m (69 ft) square steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern red. The tower also carries a large vertically slatted daymark, painted white with a red horizontal band. Hillberg has a photo (at the bottom of the page). The light is the common rear light for two ranges, one for ships approaching from the east and one for vessels approaching from the northeast. Located near the eastern end of the island. Passenger ferry service to the island is available. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-263; SV-1981; Admiralty C6176; NGA 10352. Eggegrund (4) 1932 (station established 1838). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); four flashes every 12 s , white or red depending on direction. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and two galleries. Upper half of the lighthouse painted black, lower half white (just the reverse of the Björn daymark). 2-story keeper's house and other light station buildings. Hillberg has a photo (near the bottom of the page), Reine Pegel's photo is at right, another photo is available, Marinas.com has an aerial photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view taken when the lighthouse was new, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse had a lantern mounted on the keeper's house. A separate light tower was added in 1862. In 1890 a new light station was built, with a light tower attached to a new keeper's house. The station is located on a small island in Gävlebukten (Gävle Bay) about 18 km (11 mi) east of Gävle. The island is popular as a birding site. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-007; SV-1959; Admiralty C6172; NGA 10340.

Eggegrunds Fyr, Gävle, July 2004 Panoramio photo copyright Reine Pegel; used by permission

Lighthouses of Uppsalas Län

Bothnian Sea Lighthouses

Finngrundet

1969. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white or red depending on direction. 25 m (82 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with three galleries and a helipad on top. Lighthouse painted red with one black horizontal band. No current photo available; a 1970s photo shows an older color pattern. This lighthouse replaced a lightship, Fyrskepp 25, now on display at the Sjöhistoriska Museet in Stockholm. Located on a shoal in the Gulf of Bothnia about 35 km (22 mi) north of Öregrund. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-012; Admiralty C6250; NGA 10312.

Västra Banken

1970. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 27 m (89 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with three galleries and a helipad on top. Lighthouse painted with red and black horizontal bands. A photo is available, and SFA has a fuzzy photo by J. Söderberg. This lighthouse replaced a lightship, Fyrskepp 23, which is now serving as a café on the island of Grenada in the West Indies. Located on a shoal in the Gulf of Bothnia about 20 km (13 mi) north northeast of Fagerviken. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-075; SV-2182; Admiralty C6252; NGA 10308.

Älvkarleby Lighthouse

Gårdskär

1932. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern, mounted on a square concrete pad. Lantern painted white. No photo available; Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a small island about 3 km (2 mi) northeast of Gårdskär. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6220; NGA 10328.

Tierp Lighthouses

Björn (3) 1956 (station established 1859). Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 8 s off. 25 m (82 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Upper half of the lighthouse painted white, lower half black. Daniel Martinelle's photo is at right, Michael Lundberg has a 2008 photo, Trabas has a distant view, SFA has a photo by E. Hillberg, Johan Porsby has a 2004 photo of keeper Björn Ajne with the lighthouse in the background, and Google has a satellite view. Originally this station had twin lighthouses, one of them connected to a keeper's house. The two towers were replaced by a single, taller tower in 1889. The station is on a rather remote island about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) off the coast and 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast of Fagerviken. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-093; SV-2091; Admiralty C6226; NGA 10300. Klungsten Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Trabas has a photo, a watercolor painting is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) offshore near Klungsten. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6233; NGA 10288. Ängskärsskaten Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) square wood building with a pyramidal roof. The lights are shown through a horizontal slit window. Lighthouse painted white; the roof is black. Trabas has a photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a skerry off the end of long forested peninsula north of Öne. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Ängkärs Naturreservat. Admiralty C6234; NGA 10284.

Björns Fyr, Tierp, July 2005 Panoramio photo copyright Daniel Martinelle; used by permission

Östhammar Lighthouses

Argos Grund (Argosgrund) 1957. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 3 s. 18 m (59 ft) round concrete tower. Lighthouse painted white with a black horizontal band at the top. No photo available. Located about 5 km (3 mi) north of the Örskär lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-084; Admiralty C6238; NGA 10296. * Örskär (2) 1739 (Carl Hårleman) (station established 1687). Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); two long (2 s) white flashes every 10 s. 33 m (108 ft) 2-stage cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. The lower stage is octagonal and the upper stage is round. Lighthouse painted white with one black horizontal band on each stage. Several wood keeper's houses and other light station buildings; this is one of Sweden's most completely preserved light stations. It is also the country's second oldest operating lighthouse (after Landsort). A photo is at right, Anders Wahlström has a page for the lighthouse with many photos, the Sjöfartsverket has a page on the history of the station, SFA has a photo by E. Hillberg, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The keeper's houses have been renovated as a hostel. The first lighthouse, a wood tower, burned in 1737. The present lighthouse was built by the royal architect, Carl Hårleman, who also built the royal palace in Stockholm. Örskär is not a skerry; it is an island about 3 km by 2 km (1.8 mi by 1.2 mi) off the northern tip of Grasö. The entire island is a nature preserve. Located on the north coast of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-052; SV-2125; Admiralty C6236; NGA 10280. Engelska Grundet Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three flashes every 9 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical tower. Upper half of the lighthouse painted red, lower half white. Henrik Edlund has a good closeup, and Trabas has a distant view. Located on the northwest side of Grasö and about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Öregrund. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-124; Admiralty C6243; NGA 10276. Bellonagrundet (2) 1993 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 1.5 s on, 1.5 s off. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a red horizontal band around the lantern. Trabas has a distant photo, SFA has E. Hillberg's photo, another photo is available, there is a photo (last on the page) showing both the Bellonagrundet and Djursten lighthouses, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original light was destroyed by a storm in November 1992. Jarl Larsson has photos of the wreckage and of the new lighthouse (about 1/3 the way down the page). Located 500 m (0.4 mi) west of the Djursten lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-2158; Admiralty C6245; NGA 10256.

Örskärs Fyr, May 2008 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by R. Rohdin

**** Djursten (2)

1839 (station established 1767). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); one long flash every 9 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 15 m (49 ft) round old-style stone tower with an octagonal observation room and gallery; the light is mounted on the gallery rail. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands. Eric Boralv's photo appears at the top of this page, Marinas.com has an aerial photo, SFA has a closeup by J. Alm, Anders Wahlström also has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The observation room is quite old; it appears in Huelse's 1923 postcard view. The 1-story wood keeper's house is available for rustic accommodations by the week. The light station also includes a popular café, with music on many evenings. Located on the west side of the island of Grasö, about 3 km (2 mi) northwest of Öregrund. Accessible by ferry. Site open, tower apparently open for climbing daily during the summer season. ARLHS SWE-116; SV-2152; Admiralty C6244; NGA 10248.

** Lightship 23 Västra Banken 1901 (Bergsunds Mekaniska Verkstad, Stockholm). Decommissioned 1970. Originally a 28 m (89 ft) steel lightship; light tower with lantern and gallery, painted red, and superstructure, painted white. The hull of the ship, with a different light tower, is now at the Caribbean island of Grenada, where it is part of Le Phare Bleu Marina and Resort. The superstructure and light tower are on display in an Öresund park. Iask Bergdahl's photo is at right, Anders Wahlström has a photo and a second photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Site open, and what remains of the ship is open. ARLHS SWE-256. Dummelgrund 1940. Active; focal plane 4 m (13 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a round concrete pier. Lantern painted white with an orange horizontal band; pier painted black. Trabas has a photo, SFA has a photo by D. Eriksson, Anders Wahlström also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the harbor of Öregrund. Accessible only by boat, but there are good views from shore. Site open, tower closed. SV-2285; Admiralty C6274; NGA 10228. Tolvöregrundet Nedre 1940. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); quick-flashing white light. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower. The tower also carries a rectangular horizontally slatted daymark, painted red. Standing next to the skeletal tower is a 5.5 m (19 ft) round concrete tower that carries the Jössan Övrefyr. Anders Wahlström has a photo, another photo is available (halfway down the page), and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located about 3 km (2 mi) east of Lackevik. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6260.1; NGA 10192.

Superstructure of Lightship Västra Banken, Öregrund, June 2011 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Isak Bergdahl

Ålands Sea Lighthouses
Note: These three lighthouses guide ships through the difficult passage between Sweden and the Åland Islands, which are under Finnish administration. The strait is known in Sweden as the Åland Sea (Ålandshavet).

Grundkallen

1961. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); three long (2.5 s) flashes every 20 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 34 m (112 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with two galleries and a helipad on top, centered on a round 2-story concrete crew quarters building, all mounted on a round caisson. Lighthouse painted red, caisson black. SFA has a photo by J. Hopfinger. This massive lighthouse replaced a lightship station at the south end of the Gulf of Bothnia. Located on a shoal about 20 km (13 mi) northeast of Öregrund. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-024; SV-2187; Admiralty C6285; NGA 10028.

Södra Kvarken

1986. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical steel tower mounted on a round cylindrical concrete pier. Tower painted white with a green horizontal band. An aerial photo is available. This light has the same design as the Märketskallen light (next entry). In 2004, a helipad built atop the lighthouse was removed (pdf document). Södra Kvarken (south throat) is the Swedish name for the narrowest passage of the Åland Sea; the width of the strait here is about 30 km (18 mi). Located on a shoal about 14 km (9 mi) north northwest of the island of Märket. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6287; NGA 10030.

Märketskallen (2)

1987 (station established 1985). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical steel tower mounted on a round cylindrical concrete pier. Tower painted green with a white horizontal band. A distant view is available, and Jarl Larsson has a photo of the tower under construction (almost halfway down the page). It rests on a prefabricated concrete pier that was floated to the site, sunk in place, and anchored to the seabed. The first lighthouse was the shortest-lived lighthouse in history--it lasted only twelve hours before it was run over by an icebreaking tanker in September 1985. The entire structure had to be removed and a new pier and lighthouse constructed. (This light should not be confused with the famous Finnish lighthouse on Märket, an island straddling the border between Sweden and Finland.) Located on a shoal about 5 km (3 mi) west northwest of the island of Märket. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C4472.3; NGA 10018.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Västernorrland | East: Åland Islands | South: Stockholm Area

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Posted August 13, 2007. Checked and revised June 28, 2012. Lighthouses: 43. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.