Lighthouses of Sweden: Göteborg Area

Göteborg Municipality Lighthouses

Southern Göteborg Archipelago Lighthouses

Note: The Southern Göteborg Archipelago is a group of islands in the Kattegat southwest of Göteborg. The major islands are all accessible by passenger ferry, but no cars are allowed on any of the islands. Tistlarna 1905. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); two long (2 s) flashes every 15 s, white or red depending on direction. 14 m (46 ft) 3-story semi-elliptical masonry keeper's house with a large lantern and two galleries. The original 2nd order Henry Lepaute Fresnel lens remains in the lantern but is not in use; the light is shown from a mast atop the dome. Lighthouse painted white with black trim; lantern dome is gray metallic. Two 1-story keeper's houses, painted red, and other light station buildings. Leif Åkesson's photo is at right, Wolfgang Werner has a distant view, Trabas has a distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Erik Sjöstedt has a distant street view, and Google has a fine satellite view. The exterior of the lighthouse was damaged by weather and renovated during the 1940s, changing its appearance. The lighthouse was restored in 1969, when it was converted from kerosene to electric power. The light station buildings other than the lighthouse were sold in 1991 and are privately owned. Located on a small island in the Kattegat about 6 km (4.5 mi) southwest of Vrångö. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SWE-392; SV-7484; Admiralty C0625; NGA 1160. Valö (2) 1935 (station established 1885). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); one long flash every 8 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with one green horizontal band under the gallery. 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house and other station buildings. A 2008 photo is available, Erik and Pia Sjostedt have a good photo of the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. This lighthouse is important in guiding ships approaching Göteborg from the south. Daymarkers were built at this location in 1827 and again in 1863. The original (1885) lighthouse, a wood tower, was burned when the new lighthouse was activayed in 1935; the keeper's house was sold to the Göteborg Canoe Association. Located at the southeastern point of Valö. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SWE-413; SV-7490; Admiralty C0628; NGA 1176. Trubaduren 1965 (lightship station established 1929). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); three very long (3 s) flashes every 30 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 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. Tor Svensson's photo is below right, SFA has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a good photo, and another photo shows a Stena Line ferry passing the lighthouse, but the light is a barely-discernible spot in Google's satellite view. Located on a shoal about 3 km (1.8 mi) southeast of Vinga and 8 km (5 mi) west of Donsö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-070; SV-7552; Admiralty C0569; NGA 1024.

Tistlarna Light, Kattegat, August 2009 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Leif Åkesson

Donsö Svartskär 1944. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a black horizontal band at the base. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island in the Kattegat about 800 m (1/2 mi) west northwest of Lokholmen; this is not near the larger island of Donsö. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. SV-7558; Admiralty C0624; NGA 1152. Rättaren (2) 1981 (station established 1885). Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft) round lantern and gallery mounted on a short concrete pedestal. Lantern painted white, pedestal green. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock about 600 m (0.4 mi) off the eastern shore of the island of Vrångö. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. SV-7495; Admiralty C0630; NGA 1180. * Donsöhuvud 1919. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft) round lantern and gallery mounted on a short concrete pedestal. Lantern painted white. A photo and second photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the southeastern point of Donsö; probably accessible by a short walk from the nearest road. Site open, tower closed. SV-7501; Admiralty C0632; NGA 1184. Vinga Area Lighthouses **** Vinga (3) 1890 (station established 1841). Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); two white flashes, separated by 7.5 s, every 30 s. 29 m (95 ft) square granite tower with lantern and gallery; original drum-style Fresnel lens in use. The lighthouse is unpainted stone; lantern dome is gray metallic. John Nixon's photo appears at the top of this page, Håkan Larson has a good photo and historical notes, Wikimedia has Tor Svensson's 2007 photo of the station, Trabas has a closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Björn Bringert has a distant street view, and Google has a fine satellite view. Vinga is the traditional landfall light, not just for Göteborg but for all of Sweden. Along with Skagen Fyr on the Danish side it marks the entrance to the Kattegat and the Baltic for ships arriving from the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. A "lightkeeper's village" surrounds the lighthouse, with several keeper's houses and other structures, including the house where Swedish musician and author Evert Taube, a son of a keeper, was born in 1890 (the same year the lighthouse was built). The historic tower began to deteriorate when it was automated in 1974. Ten years later, the Vännerna av Vinga (Friends of Vinga) was organized to work for preservation of the lighthouse and other buildings. Today Vinga is one of the most popular attractions of the Swedish coast, readily accessible by passenger ferry from Göteborg. Located in the entrance to the Kattegat 18 km (11 mi) due west of Göteborg. Site open, tower open for climbing during the summer season. ARLHS SWE-076; SV-7547; Admiralty C0565; NGA 1020.

Trubaduren Light, Kattegat, June 2007 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Tor Svensson

* Vinga (2) 1854 (station established 1841). Inactive since 1890. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical stone tower; lantern removed. Upper half of the lighthouse painted red, lower half white. The tower now carries a radar antenna. Tor Svensson's photo is at right, a good photo taken from the gallery of the 1890 lighthouse by Christian Tarras Ericsson is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built to accompany the 1841 lighthouse and provide a double light on Vinga. (Only foundation ruins remain of the 1841 tower.) The red daymark was apparently repainted around 2005; a 2003 photo shows the tower with only a hint of the red. Located a short distance southeast of the present lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-421. * [Vinga Baken (5)] 1857 (station established 1606). Inactive daybeacon. 24 m (79 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted red and topped by a mast carrying a copper globe. John Nixon's photo is at the top of this page, and the beacon is seen in nearly every photo of the Vinga lighthouses. The first beacon was ordered in 1606 by King Charles IX. It was replaced with new structures in 1644, 1675, and 1720. Located between the two Vinga lighthouse towers. Site open, tower closed. Vinga Ungar 1949. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three flashes every 8 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 13 m (43 ft) post mounted on a round cylindrical tower with gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one black horizontal band at the base. Trabas has Klaus Kern's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an isolated rock 730 m (0.45 mi) northwest of the Vinga lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7581; Admiralty C0564; NGA 1044. * Vinga Östra Övre (East Range Rear) 1896. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); red light occulting once every 4 s, synchronized with the front light. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) square wood tower on pilings, surmounted by a square slatted daymark; the light is shown through a rectangular window. Lighthouse painted black with one white horizontal band. Trabas has Klaus Kern's photo, Björn Bringert has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. This range guides vessels westbound, departing Göteborg. Located on the south side of the island, 400 m (1/4 mi) west of the front light. Site open, tower closed. SV-7586.1; Admiralty C0566.1; NGA 1052.

1854 Vinga Light, Göteborg, June 2007 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Tor Svensson

* Vinga Östra Nedre (East Range Front)

1896. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red light occulting once every 4 s, synchronized with the rear light. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Trabas has Klaus Kern's photo, Stefan Persson has a fuzzy view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the eastern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. SV-7586; Admiralty C0566; NGA 1048.

Viten

1896. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (36 ft) round, broadly conical stone tower with lantern. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has Klaus Kern's closeup photo, Kozak Nevada has a 2016 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light guides vessels approaching Vinga from Göteborg. Located about 1 km (0.6 mi) east northeast of Vinga. Accessible only by boat, but there are good views from the passenger ferries to Vinga. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-217; SV-7578; Admiralty C0567; NGA 1040.

Göteborg Western Approach Lighthouses
Note: The best way to see these lighthouses is from one of the Stena Line ferries crossing the north end of the Kattegat between Göteborg and Frederikshavn, Denmark.

Buskärs Knöte (2) 1964 (station established 1841). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); three flashes every 9 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted red; lantern roof painted white. Trabas has a fine photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock off the eastern end of Buskär and about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of Galterö. Accessible only by boat. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-111; SV-7612; Admiralty C0570; NGA 1064. Böttö (1) 1841. Inactive since 1991. Lantern centered on the roof of a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lantern painted red, house painted red and white. A photo is at right, Trabas has a photo by Erich Hartmann, a 2008 photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Ships approaching Göteborg pass very close to this light. Located on a tiny island about 400 m (1/4 mi) due west of the western tip of Galterö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-005. Böttö (2) 1964 (station established 1841). Active; characteristics unknown. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one green horizontal band under the gallery. A photo is at right, Trabas has a photo by Erich Hartmann, Nico Huising has a 2011 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located adjacent to the historic lighthouse, on a tiny island about 400 m (1/4 mi) due west of the western tip of Galterö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7608; Admiralty C0571; NGA 1075.

Böttö Light, Göteborg, July 2012 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by ChrisPsi

Vasskärsgrund

1983. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); very quick-flashing light, white, red or green depending on direction, interrupted once every 8 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a red horizontal band between the galleries. Trabas has a photo, Kurt Astrup has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Ships approaching Göteborg pass between this light and the Böttö lighthouse. Located about 400 m (1/4 mi) northwest of the western tip of Galterö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7651; Admiralty C0571.6; NGA 1080.

#Brandnäsbrotten Date unknown (station established 1886). Inactive since 2006. This was a round lantern mounted on a round concrete base; the lantern was painted white and the base green. No photo available. According to the Sjöfartsverket in July 2006, the lighthouse "has been demolished...and a green floodlighted beacon remains." This may mean the lantern was removed, but the green base remains. Google's satellite view tends to support that idea, but more information is needed. Located on the south side of the Göteborg approach channel and about 400 m (1/4 mi) north of Galterö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7654; ex-Admiralty C0572; ex-NGA 1084. [Gäveskär (1)] 1866. Inactive since 1915. 1-story wood keeper's house; the light was shown from a lantern attached to one corner of the house. Patrik Carlsson's photo is at right. The lighthouse was built by the city of Göteborg. In 1915 the light was moved to an octagonal tower in front of the house. Owner/site manager: private. Gäveskär (3) 1972 (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); quick-flashing red light. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band under the gallery. A walkway leads to a 1-story wood keeper's house; the house is painted red with white trim. Patrik Carlsson's photo is at right, Trabas has an excellent photo, Ida den Fina has a good photo, another fine photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This is an important light, because ships approaching Göteborg make a turn to the north as they pass this point. Located on a small island about 400 m (1/4 mi) north of the island of Brännö. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SWE-018; SV-7664; Admiralty C0573; NGA 1088. Göteborg Harbor Lighthouses #Knippelholmen (3) 1962 (station established 1880). Inactive since 2004.This was a 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. It has been replaced by a smaller daybeacon colored red with a white horizontal band. A distant 2016 view is available, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse has a lantern attached to one corner of the keeper's house. It was replaced by a concrete tower in 1948. The light was extinguished due to changes in the Göteborg approach channel. Located on a rocky islet on the north side of the entrance to Göteborg, about 800 m (1/2 mi) off the Arendal waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7681; ex-Admiralty C0582; ex-NGA 1104.

Gäveskär Light, Göteborg, December 2010 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Patrik Carlsson

* Rune

Date unknown. Inactive (since 1962?) but continuing as a daybeacon. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A closeup photo and another photo are available, Christian Jangvik has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. It appears that the lighthouse is also floodlit as a beacon at night. Presumably the light was replaced by the offshore Knippelholmen lighthouse, which assumed its Fyrlista number 7681. Located on a promontory at the end of the Måsholmsvågen in Arendal, a suburb of Göteborg on the north side of the approach to the city. Site open, tower closed. ex-SV-7681.

* Göteborgsgrund (lantern) 1939. Inactive since 2003. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A 2010 photo is available, Andreas Marx has a closeup photo, Mats Degerman has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse stood on a shoal on the south side of the Göteborg entrance channel. In 2003 both shoal and lighthouse were removed as part of a widening of the dredged channel. The lantern was preserved and displayed on a replica tower at the Eriksberg docks, on the north side of the Göta River in Göteborg. Located at the end of the Eriksberg ferry pier. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ex-SV-7683; ex-Admiralty C0581; ex-NGA 1124. **** Fyrskepp 29 Fladen 1914. Decommissioned 1969. 32.8 m (108 ft) steel lightship with a lantern on the mainmast. Ship painted red. Guillaume Baviere's photo is at right, Erik Töyrä has an excellent closeup photo, Stefan Carlsson has a 2010 photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. SFA has a page for the lightship station. Deployment of the ship was delayed until 1919 by World War I. It served until 1951 on the Ölandsrev station and then for 15 years at Hävringe; only in its last two years was it stationed at Fladen. In 1987 the ship was added to the collection of the Göteborg Maritime Museum, and it has been moored at the museum on the Göteborg waterfront ever since. The museum is located on the Packhusplats quay, on the south side of the Göta River in downtown Göteborg, near the opera house. Site open; vessel open for tours daily March through November. Owner/site manager: Maritiman Museum.

Fyrskepp 29 Fladen, Göteborg, May 2011 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Guillaume Baviere

Hjuvik Area Lighthouses

* Stora Varholmen (2)

1966 (station established 1884) . Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two long (2 s) flashes every 12 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white with a red roof and mounted on a concrete pad. A view from the sea is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a bluff on the southwest side of the island of Stora Varholmen, southwest of Hjuvik. The island is accessible by ferry from Hjuvik. Site open, tower closed. SV-7616; Admiralty C0556; NGA 0968.

* Lilla Varholmen Övre (2)

1927 (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 1.5 s on, 1.5 s off, synchronized with the front light. 5 m (17 ft) round lantern, painted white with a red roof and mounted on a round concrete base. Martin Wallgren has a closeup, Trabas has Erich Hartmann's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the town of Hjuvik, on the southwest side of the island of Lilla Varholmen. Site open, tower closed. SV-7928.01; Admiralty C0552.1; NGA 0964.

Öckerö Municipality Lighthouses

Hönö and Fötö Area Lighthouses

Måvholmsbådan 1964. Inactive since 2004. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with one green horizontal band. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The light is deactivated but NGA continues to list the light's racon (radar transponder). Located about 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Stora Valholmen and 3 km (2 mi) east of Fötö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7623; ex-Admiralty C0578.8; NGA 0980. Benskär 1946. 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. Lighthouse painted white. No photo available, but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a skerry about 2 km (1.2 mi) southwest of Hönö and the same distance west of Fotö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7806; Admiralty C0562; NGA 1012. * Klåva (Hönö) 1930. Active; focal plane 4.5 m (15 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern and gallery, painted white, mounted on a round concrete base. A photo is at right, Pia Sørensen has a 2008 photo, Svend Aage van Dijk has a photo, Jakub Krause has a foggy street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the west side of the entrance to Hönö harbor, on the south side of the island. Site open, tower closed. SV-7809; Admiralty C0563; NGA 1004. * Tångudden 1932. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 1.5 s on, 1.5 s off. 5 m (17 ft) round lantern and gallery, painted white, mounted on a round concrete base. A photo is available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the eastern point of the island of Hönö, where it helps guide ferries arriving from Hjuvik. Site open, tower closed. SV-7842; Admiralty C0558; NGA 0972. Hälsö Area Lighthouses * Hälsö Nedre 1884. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern white with a green roof. SFA has a page for the two range lights, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a point of land at the eastern end of the town of Hälsö, on the island of the same name. Site open, tower closed. SV-7836; Admiralty C0536; NGA 0936.

Klåva (Hönö) Light, Hönö, April 2009 Flickr Creative Commons photo by The Hamster Factor

* Hälsö Övre

1884. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); quick-flashing white light. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a round concrete base. Lantern painted white. Google has a satellite view. The range guides vessels northbound in the strait between Hälsö and Björkö. Located on a rise on the northwest side of Hälsö, 750 m (1/2 mi) northwest of the front light (previous entry). Site open, tower closed. SV-7836.01; Admiralty C0536.1; NGA 0940.

Hyppeln and Rörö Area Lighthouses

Stora Oset (2)

1913 (station established 1893). Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); three flashes every 9 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round lantern and gallery, painted white, mounted on a round concrete base. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a skerry about 800 m (1/2 mi) south of the harbor of Hyppeln, on the island of the same name. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7918; Admiralty C0528; NGA 0916.

Stora Pölsan

1934. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 6 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round white lantern mounted on a square cylindrical masonry tower. Lighthouse painted white with one black horizontal band. Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island in the Skagerrak (here near its junction with the Kattegat) about 5 km (3 mi) west of Rörö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7915; Admiralty C0523; NGA 0888.

Kungälv Municipality Lighthouses

Marstrand Area Lighthouses

[Lekskär (2)] 1897 (station established 1884) . Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 3 m (10 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white. Behind the lighthouse is a remarkable daybeacon (1868), a square pyramidal wood tower about 16 km (52 ft) high, painted in a black and white checkerboard pattern. A photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse, a wood tower, was destroyed by fire. Located on a skerry about 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Klåverön and about 5 km (3 mi) south of Marstrand. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-236; SV-7898; Admiralty C0520; NGA 0876. Lönnbäcken 1937. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 12.5 m (41 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with octagonal lantern and gallery, mounted on a conical stone base. Lighthouse painted white with one narrow black horizontal band. Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock off the southwestern tip of Klåverön, about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Marstrand. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-266; SV-7908; Admiralty C0521; NGA 0872. Sälö Knapp (Sälöknapp) 1946. Inactive since 2014. 7.5 m (25 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with octagonal lantern and gallery, painted white. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a rock in an area crowded with small islands about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Klåverön and the same distance southwest of Kovikshamn on the mainland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-7887; ex-Admiralty C0524; ex-NGA 0880.

Lekskär Beacon and Light, Marstrand, August 2006 Flickr Creative Commons photo by thriol

Hätteberget 1977. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); two long (1.5 s) flashes every 12 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern, upper and lower galleries, and a helipad above the lantern. Upper half of lighthouse painted red, lower half black. LLS has a page with a distant view, and Trabas has a very distant view, but the light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located about 8 km (5 mi) west southwest of Marstrand and 3.5 km (2.2 mi) south of Hamneskär. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-028; SV-7925; Admiralty C0489; NGA 0708. Pater Noster (Hamneskär) 1868 (Nils Gustaf von Heidenstam). Reactivated (inactive 1977-2007); focal plane unknown; one long white flash every 15 s. 32 m (105 ft) pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and central cylinder. Lighthouse painted red. 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house and other light station buildings, also painted red. The original 1st order Fresnel lens is on display at the Bohusläns Museum in Uddevalla. A photo is at right, LLS has a page for the lighthouse, Wikipedia has an article, Huelse has a historic postcard view of the station, Torsten Kvick has a street view from the base of the tower, Jesper Karlqvist has a street view from the gallery, and Google has a satellite view. Hamneskär is a skerry in the Skagerrak about 7 km (4.5 mi) west of Marstrand. Deactivated in favor of the new Hätteberget Fyr in 1977, the historic lighthouse was in poor condition by the 1990s. A preservation group, Pater Nosters Vänner, was formed, and the Bohusläns Museum agreed to manage the restoration effiort. Funds for restoration were secured and in 2002 the lighthouse was dismantled and transported to Uddevalla. In Uddevalla it was discovered that the tower was in much worse shape than had been thought, and the funds available were insufficient for the repairs needed. Several years were needed to organize a larger effort. In 2004 a restoration agreement was signed between local and state agencies, the museum, and the firm of Pharmadule Emtunga. In 2006-07 the lighthouse was restored and reassembled in Uddevalla, then placed on a barge for its return to Hamneskär. Wikimedia has a photo of the lighthouse taken on 27 June 2007 as it was displayed briefly in the harbor of Göteborg. A photo taken the next day and another photo taken on 1 July show the lighthouse on its barge at Marstrand, ready for its return, another photo taken 3 July shows the lighthouse being lifted from the barge by a giant crane, and a May 2008 photo shows it back on station. While the lighthouse was inactive a continuous white light (focal plane 15 m (49 ft)) was shown from a skeletal tower. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-176; SV-7925.01; Admiralty C0489.4; NGA 0701.

Pater Noster Light, Marstrand, August 2015 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by HasBS

*** Carlstens Fästning (Karlsten Fortress)

1781. Inactive since 1868. Large round cylindrical stone tower rising from a 17th century fortress. SFA has a page for the light, Robyn Lee has a photo, a view from the harbor is available, and Google has a satellite view of the fortress. The fortress was built by King Carl X Gustav after the Treaty of Roskilde transferred Bohuslän from Norway to Sweden in 1658. The great round tower was added in the 1680s. The light was deactivated in 1868 in favor of the Pater Noster lighthouse. Located on the hilltop behind Marstrand, on the island of Marstrandsön. The fortress is open for tours and can be rented for dinners and conferences. Site open, fortress open daily June through August and on weekends the rest of the year. Site manager: Carlstens Fästning.

* Skallen 1944. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Stuart Chalmers's photo is at right, another closeup is available, Trabas has a more distant view, SFA has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the western tip of the island of Marstrandsön, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of Marstrand. Accessible by hiking from the village across the island. Site open, tower closed. SV-7931; Admiralty C0493; NGA 0712. [Marstrand (Marstrand Havn) (1)] 1868. Inactive since 1914. 1-story wood keeper's house; the light was shown from a lantern attached to one corner of the house. Trabas has a fine photo. Owner/site manager: private. Marstrand (Marstrand Havn) (2) 1914 (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); three flashes every 9 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft) octagonal lantern and gallery, mounted on a round concrete base. Entire lighthouse painted white. 1-story wood keeper's house. Kristofer Palmvik's photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has a fine photo, Rudi Pauwels has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the western tip of Koön, marking the northern entrance to the harbor of Marstrand. Accessible by road. Site and tower closed, but the light can be seen from nearby. ARLHS SWE-275; SV-7937; Admiralty C0494; NGA 0720. Backebådan 1988. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower and gallery are unpainted concrete; in a reverse of the usual Scandinavian pattern, the lantern is painted red with a white roof. Trabas has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal halfway between the islands of Dyrön and Instön, about 3 km (1.8 mi) northeast of Marstrand. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-089; SV-7956; Admiralty C0500; NGA 0731.

Skallen Light, Marstrand, May 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Stuart Chalmers

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Buskär (1841-1956), Göteborg approach. A total of four lighthouses stood on this island; they were replaced by the Büskers Knöte lighthouse (see above).
• Nya Älvsborg (Range Lights) (1859-1880), Göteborg. These were leading lighthouses built by the city of Göteborg on the ramparts of the Nya (New) Älvsborg fortress. The lights were replaced by the Knippelholmen lighthouse (see above).

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Uddevalla Area | East: Lake Vänern | South: Halland | West: Jylland Northeast

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted April 9, 2007. Checked and revised January 1, 2018. Lighthouses: 38. Lightships: 1. Site copyright 2018 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.