Bengtskär Lighthouse

Bengtskär Lighthouse is located in the Archipelago Sea about 25 kilometers south west of Hanko, Finland.[2] The lighthouse was built in 1906 on the Bengtskär skerry where it rises 52 meters above sea level and is the highest one in the Nordic countries. The lighthouse had been planned for some time, but after the steamer s/s Helsingfors ran aground in 1905 in the vicinity en route from Lübeck to Helsinki resulting in several crew members trapped and drowned on board, the project gained urgency and was completed during the following year. Soviet troops stationed in Hanko during the Continuation War, disturbed by a Finnish observation post in the light house tried to blow up and destroy the lighthouse during the Battle of Bengtskär in 1941.

Bengtskär Lighthouse
The lighthouse in 2010
Bengtskär Lighthouse
LocationBengtskär, Dragsfjärd, Kimitoön, Finland
Coordinates59°43′24.370″N 22°29′57.394″E
Year first constructed1906
Automated1968 
Constructiongranite tower
Tower shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern attached to 3-1/2-story keeper's house
Markings / patternunpainted tower, green roof lantern, red balcony and trim
Tower height46 metres (151 ft)
Focal height51 metres (167 ft)
Range10 nautical mile 
CharacteristicFl (3) W 20s.
Admiralty numberC4906
NGA number15268
ARLHS numberFIN-001
Managing agentUniversity of Turku[1]
HeritageCultural Heritage Site of National Significance 
Bengtskär Lighthouse by night

These days Bengtskär Lighthouse is a popular tourist destination[3] and is visited annually by roughly 13 000 to 15 000 tourists.[4] There are some hotel rooms, and a sauna made of granite.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Lighthouses of Southwest Finland". Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  2. "Position". Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  3. "History". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  4. "Tiesitkö: Tämä on erikoisin paikka, missä Suomi ja Neuvostoliitto sotivat". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  5. "Meet Paula – the Bengtskär Lighthouse keeper". Visit Finland. Archived from the original on 1 November 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2017.


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