Lighthouses of Sweden: Kalmar

The Kingdom of Sweden (Sverige in Swedish) is the largest country of northern Europe, occupying the entire west coast of the Baltic Sea. Along with its lengthy coast Sweden has a distinguished lighthouse history and a good record of preserving its historic lights. The Swedish Lighthouse Society (Svenska Fyrsällskapet) works actively for the preservation of the lighthouses.

Sweden is divided into 21 counties (län) and the counties are subdivided into townships and municipalities (kommuner). This page covers lighthouses of the mainland portion of the Swedish county of Kalmar (Kalmar Län). The coastline of the county faces eastward on the Baltic Sea. Kalmar Län also includes the long, narrow island of Öland, which lies parallel to the coast. The Kalmarsund, the narrow sound between Ölund and the mainland, provides a protected waterway along the southern part of the county's coast.

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). Ö is an island, holme is an islet, skär is a skerry (a tiny island or rocky reef), grund is a shoal or shallow, sund is a strait (often between an island and the mainland), vik is a bay, hav is a sea, udde is a headland, flod is a river, and hamn is a port or harbor.

Aids to navigation in Sweden are maintained by the Swedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket).

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. SV numbers are from the Sjöfarsverket light list (Svenska 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 is active in promoting the preservation of Swedish lighthouses.
Svenskt Fyrväsende
From the SFA web site, data and photos for many of the lighthouses.
Lighthouses in Sweden
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Online List of Lights - Sweden
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
Leuchttürme und Leuchtfeuer in Schweden - Svenska Fyrar
A large collection of photos and data posted by Erich Hartmann; text in German.
Lighthouses in Sweden
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Lighthouse Pages from Anke and Jens - Sweden
Photos and brief accounts (in English) by two German lighthouse fans.
Fyr Vi Har Passeret (Lighthouses We've Passed)
Photos of Baltic lighthouses taken by two Danish sailors, Jette and Ole.
Schwedische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Charts
Navigational chart information for Kalmar.

Spårö Fyr
Spårö Light, Västervik, June 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Thomas Ludwig

Källvik Area Lighthouses
Torrö Stickskär
1940. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); four flashes every 12 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a thin green horizontal band under the gallery. Jonas Forsman has a street view and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a skerry off the southeast coast of Torrö and about 2 km (1.25 mi) northeast of Ytterby. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5204; Admiralty C7038; NGA 8368.
Prickhällan (Väderskär)
1940. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on a shoal a short distance north or northeast of Väderskär. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5234; Admiralty C7050; NGA 8344.
Trädskär Övre
1940. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery mounted on a concrete pier. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is green. Google has a distant satellite view. Located on an island east of Källvik 550 m (600 yd) east of the front light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5243; Admiralty C7056.1; NGA 8332.
Finnhällan
1940. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red horizontal band around the lantern. Jette and Ole have a photo and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a skerry between the islands of Gamla Städsholmen and Storskär, about 5 km (3 mi) east of Källvik. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Städsholmens Natureservat. ARLHS SWE-130; SV-5260; Admiralty C7066; NGA 8244.
Storkläppen (2)
1894 (station established 1890). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 8 s off. 15 m (49 ft) square pyramidal ironclad masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted in a red and white checkerboard pattern (unusual for Sweden). 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house, painted red with white trim, and other light station buildings. Erik Sjostedt's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo by Pauline and Wim de Kleine, Magnus Perman has a view from the sea, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a postcard view dated 1924, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was a 12 m (39 ft) cast iron tower transferred from Utholme, Gotland; that station was heavily damaged almost immediately by a severe storm. Endangered: in late 2008 the Sjöfartsverket announced its intention to abandon the lighthouse and said it might be demolished unless some group came forward to accept it. As of the fall of 2019 the lighthouse was still in operation. Located on an island about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Källvik. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SWE-374; SV-5265; Admiralty C7068; NGA 8304.
Aleskär
1953. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Google has a satellite view. Located on a skerry about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northeast of the eastern tip of the island of Hasselö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5270; Admiralty C7070; NGA 8308.
Sladö Ask
1940. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); quick-flashing white, red or green light, depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted red, lantern painted white. Google has a satellite view. Located about 1.5 km (1 mi) southeast of the eastern tip of the island of Hasselö. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SWE-352; SV-5279; Admiralty C7074; NGA 8236.

Storkläppen Light, Källvik, July 2018
Google Maps photo by Erik Sjostedt
Finnkarten
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); four flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) tower concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Upper half of the tower painted white, lower half green. A photo is available and Google has a satellite view. Located about 1 km (0.6 mi) south of the Sladö Ask Light (previous entry). Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SWE-131; SV-5275; Admiralty C7072; NGA 8240.

Västervik Lighthouses
Vitudden (2)
1956 (station established 1895). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 4 s. 7 m (23 ft) tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is green. Trabas has a photo and Bing has a satellite view. This was formerly the rear light of an entrance range for Västervik. Located on a promontory on the island of Gränsö, which shelters the north side of the harbor. Site closed (private property). SV-5343; Admiralty C7100.1; NGA 8280.
Borgö
1940. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 1-story wood shed; the light is shown through a window. Building painted white. Trabas has a photo but the small light is barely visible in Google's satellite view. Located on the west side of the Västervik harbor entrance. Site status unknown. SV-5338; Admiralty C7098; NGA 8264.
Tallskärshålet (Nedre)
1895. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); quick-flashing white or green light, depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted green with one white horizontal band (formerly all white). Trabas has a photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The rear light of this range is on a small metal cabinet. Located on a skerry off the southeastern point of Marsholmen, about 2 km (1.25 mi) northeast of Lindödjupet. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5324; Admiralty C7088; NGA 8248.
Västerbådan
1940. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 8 s on, 2 s off. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted red with a black horizontal band at the base. Jette and Ole's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, a January 2006 photo shows the lighthouse mostly covered by ice, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located offshore about 3 km (2 mi) northeast of Lindödjupet. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-420; SV-5284; Admiralty C7076; NGA 8232.
Stickskär (Nedre) (2)
1946 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flash every 1.5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. This light forms a range with Spårö Fyr. Located on a skerry off the northwest coast of Idö and about 1750 m (1.1 mi) northeast of Spårö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5307; Admiralty C7080; NGA 8218.
Västerbådans Fyr
Västerbådan Light, Västervik
photo copyright Jette&Ole; permission requested
Idö
1884. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted green with one white horizontal band. Google has a satellite view. Located just off the northwestern point of Idö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5319; Admiralty C7086; NGA 8228.
Spårö (Common Rear) (3)
1934 (station established 1777). Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. 1-story wood keeper's house, painted red with white trim. Thomas Ludwig's photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has a photo, Jonas Forsman has a 2021 street view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The lighthouse also serves as the rear light of two ranges, the Idö Stangskär Range and the Stickskär Range. The historic Spårö Bak was replaced in 1884 by an octagonal wood lighthouse, seen standing next to the new lighthouse in SFA's 1933 photo. Located on the southeastern point of Spårö, on the approach to Västervik. Site status unknown. SV-5308; Admiralty C7081; NGA 8220.
* Spårö (1) (Spårö Bak)
1777 (Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz). Inactive since 1884. 25 m (82 ft) square stone tower with a pyramidal roof. Tower painted white; the roof is red. Lights from wood fires were displayed through a window on the east side of the roof. Andreas Nilsson's photo is at right, a fine 2007 photo is available, SFA's Spårö page has a good photo by Esbjörn Hillberg, Lars Evers has 2019 drone view, and Google has a satellite view. This historic tower is said to have built by Russian prisoners of war. Located at the highest point of the island of Spårö, an island a short distance north of Målängen, on the approach to Västervik. Site open, tower status unknown. .
Idö Stangskär (Nedre)
Date unknown (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); quick-flashing light, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted red, lantern and gallery white. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. This light forms a range with Spårö Fyr. Located on a skerry about 3 km (1.8 mi) southeast of Idö and about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Spårö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5309; Admiralty C7082; NGA 8216.
Kungsgrundet
1956. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); two long (2 s) white flashes every 15 s. 29 m (95 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted black with one red horizontal band; lantern painted white. Trabas has a photo and Bing has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Located in the Baltic Sea about 10 km (6 mi) east of Lindödjupet. ARLHS SWE-225; SV-5297; Admiralty C7078; NGA 8212.
Hamnklabbshällan
1947. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a green horizontal band. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located about 1.5 km (1 mi) east of the Bussgrund lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-177; SV-5314; Admiralty C7084; NGA 8208.
Spårö Bak
Spårö Bak, April 2006
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Andreas Nilsson
Bussgrund
1940. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted red, lantern white. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) east of the island of Händelöp, southeast of Västervik. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-112; SV-5372; Admiralty C7108; NGA 8200.
Alhällen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a black base. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a skerry about 1.5 km (1 mi) east of the island of Eknö. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. SV-5385; Admiralty C7110; NGA 8196.
Mannen
1940. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern and gallery, painted white with a green roof. Ralf Meyer has a photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a skerry just off the island of Älö. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. SV-5417; Admiralty C7124; NGA 8172.

Oskarshamn Lighthouses
Vinökråken
Date unknown (station established 1940). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (33 ft) round concrete tower with an octagonal iron lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northwest of the Vinö Bredhäll light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5427; Admiralty C7130; NGA 8164.
Strupö Ljungskär
1940. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Trabas has a photo, another photo is available (2/3 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located on a skerry about 1.5 km (1 mi) northeast of the Vinö Bredhäll light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-379; SV-5460; Admiralty C7132; NGA 8160.
Vinö Bredhäll
1940. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); very quick-flashing white, red or green light, depending on direction, interrupted once every 6 s. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical tower, painted white with a black horizontal band, mounted on a black base. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a skerry on the west side of the northern entrance to the Kalmarsund about 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of Blankaholm and 5 km (3 mi) east of Vinö. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5422; Admiralty C7137; NGA 8150.
Gröttlan
1948. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); two falshes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern, painted red and mounted on a round concrete base. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on a skerry off Gröttlan, about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Oskarshamn. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5541;Admiralty C7146; NGA 8124.
** Blå Jungfrun Östra (2) (relocated)
1953 (station established 1926). Inactive since 2002; a decorative light is probably displayed. 9.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right , a 2018 closeup is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This light stood on the eastern point of Blå Jungfrun island (see below). In 2004 it was relocated and restored as an exhibit of the Oskarshamns Sjöfartsmuseum (maritime museum). Located next to the museum, on the Södra Långgatan at the Vikingsgatan in downtown Oskarshamn. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Oskarshamns Sjöfartsmuseum. ARLHS SWE-095;ex-SV-5554; ex-Admiralty C7306.
Stötbotten
1981. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 4 s on, 4 s off. 13 m (43 ft) tower, painted red. Hartmann has a page for the light, SFA also has a page, Trabas also has a photo, and Bing has a very distant satellite view. Located about 5 km (3 mi) east of the Oskarshamn harbor entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-375; SV-5588; Admiralty C7295.5; NGA 8104.
Blå Jungfrun Ostra Fyr
Blå Jungfrun Ostra Light, Oskarshamn, July 2010
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Anchor2009
Rödskär
1953. Inactive since 2007. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. A very distant view is available and Google has a satellite view. The former light is still listed as a daybeacon. Located on a skerry in the northern approaches to Oskarshamn about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northwest of the Finnrevet lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ex-SV-5586; ex-Admiralty C7290; ex-NGA 8064.
Finnrevet
1921. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with one black horizontal band. A photo is at right, Hartmann has a page for the light, SFA also has a page, Trabas has a distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal on the southeast side of Furö, about 10 km (6 mi) east of Oskarshamn. Accessible only by boat, but the lighthouse can be viewed from ferries from Oskarshamn to Gotland. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-013; SV-5575; Admiralty C7292; NGA 8052.
Blå Jungfrun Västra
1953. Inactive, apparently since 2015. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, formerly with a red band at the base. Hartmann has a page for the light, Jette and Ole have a photo, Ronnie Maxe has a 2021 photo, Wikimedia has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light disappeared from light lists but it was reactivated at least by 2008 with the red band added. It is missing again from the 2016 light lists. Blå Jungfrun is an island in the north end of the Kalmarsund, about 18 km (11 mi) east of Oskarshamn on the mainland and 10 km (6 mi) west of the northwest coast of Öland. The island is a national park. Located on the west side of the island; probably accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Blå Jungfrun National Park. ex-SV-5557; ex-Admiralty C7308; ex-NGA 8048.

Finnrevet Light, Oskarshamn, July 2010
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Anchor2009

Mönsterås Lighthouses
** Dämman (1)
1873 (rebuilt in 1904). Inactive since 1968. 18 m (59 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower rising from a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted bluish graywith white trim; lantern dome is greenish metallic. The 3rd order Fresnel lens from this lighthouse was transferred to the new lighthouse and then in 1978 to the Häradskär lighthouse in the Norrköping area. A photo is at right. SFA has a photo showing the original appearance of the lighthouse. It was modified and expanded in 1904 with a new light tower and the lantern and lens transferred from the former north light at Gotska Sandön (see the Gotland page). Huelse has a historic postcard view showing its appearance after this rebuilding. It's not clear when additional expansions occurred. In 1999 the abandoned lighthouse was restored and renovated as a hotel and conference center. The property was placed for sale in 2011 and in 2014 it sold to a company called AB Recess. Theb new owners renovated and reopened the lighthouse as conference center and site for meetings and weddings. Located on a tiny island in the center of the Kalmarsund, about 12 km (7 mi) west of Sandvik and a similar distance north of Borgholm; the island is not visible in Google's satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower open to guests of the hotel. Owner/site manager: Dämmans Fyr . ARLHS SWE-113.
Dämman (2)
1968 (station established 1873). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); one long flash every 8 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a round pier. Entire lighthouse painted red. Jette and Ole have a photo, Hartmann has a page for the lighthouse, and Trabas has a very distant view. Located on a shoal a short distance east of the historic Dämmans Fyr (previous entry). Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-114; SV-5621; Admiralty C7324; NGA 7996.

Dämmans Fyr, 2021
photo by Dämmans Fyr
Slottsbredan
1944. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and double gallery, mounted on a round concrete pier. Lighthouse painted black with one green horizontal band; lantern painted white. Hartmann has a page for the lighthouse, Jette and Ole have a photo, Trabas has a distant view, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a shoal about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Borgholm, Öland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-353; SV-5664; Admiralty C7332; NGA 7976.

Kalmar (Kalmar Channel) Lighthouses
These lights mark the dredged channel through the narrow section of the Kalmarsund at Kalmar. Since 1972 the channel has been crossed by the 6 km (3.75 mi) long Öland Bridge (Ölandsbron).

Sillåsen
1944. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and double gallery, mounted on a conical iron pier. Upper half of the lighthouse painted white, lower half black. Hartmann has a page for the light, Jette and Ole have a photo, Trabas also has a photo, and Google has a distant satellite view. The lighthouse, which marks a narrow passage in the northern Kalmarsund, replaced the former Skäggenäs lighthouse on the mainland. Located about 2 km (1.25 mi) east of Revsudden. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-338; SV-5694; Admiralty C7340; NGA 7952.
Masknaggen
1962. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); quick-flashing light, white, red or green depending on direction. 11 m (36 ft) tower, painted black with an orange band at the top. SFA has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has Helmut Seger's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the Kalmarsund about 7 km (4.5 mi) northeast of Kalmar. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-277; SV-5697; Admiralty C7350; NGA 7904.
Krongrundet
1940. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, mounted on a conical iron pier. Lighthouse painted white with a green horizontal band between the galleries and a black horizontal band at the base. Hartmann has a page for the light, Jette and Ole have a photo, Trabas has Helmut Seger's photo, and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. Located at the north entrance to the channel, about 800 m (1/2 mi) north of the Öland bridge (Ölandsbron). Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-432; SV-5718; Admiralty C7352; NGA 7880.
Osvallsgrundet
1939. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a conical iron pier. Lighthouse painted red with one black horizontal band below the gallery. Hartmann has a page for the light, Jette and Ole have a photo, Trabas has Helmut Seger's photo, Rikke Lind has a wider view, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 500 km (0.3 mi) northeast of the Huvudet lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5723; Admiralty C7358; NGA 7876.
Huvudet
1940s. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); three flashes every 4 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a conical iron pier. Lighthouse painted red with one black horizontal band at the best. Piet and Anneke Admiraal's photo is at right, Hartmann has a page for the lighthouse, Jette and Ole have a photo, Trabas has Helmut Seger's photo, Alexander Gustafsson has a very distant street view from the mainland, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 2 km (1.25 mi) northeast of the Skansgrundet lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-5733; Admiralty C7358.4; NGA 7872.
Huvudet Fyr
Huvudet Light, Kalmarsund, June 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Piet and Anneke Admiraal
Skansgrundet (Grimskär) (3)
1940 (station established 1865). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 13 s on, 2 s off, 3 s on, 2 s off. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a conical concrete pier. Tower painted black with one broad green horizontal band; lantern painted white. SFA has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has Helmut Seger's photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse replaced the historic 1878 Grimskär lighthouse, seen in Huelse's postcard view. Located on a shoal about 800 m (1/2 mi) southeast of the Kalmar waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-346; SV-5807; Admiralty C7390; NGA 7844.

Torsås (Southern Kalmarsund) Lighthouses
*** Garpen (2)
1934 (station established 1893). Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 8 s. 27 m (89 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted gray concrete; lantern painted white. 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house, painted red. Tobias Sandberg's photo is at right, Trabas has Klaus Kern's photo, Anke and Jens have a page for the lighthouse, Hartmann also has a page, SFA has a page, an excellent closeup photo is available, Stephan Keim has a 2021 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a postcard view of the original brick lighthouse, which was demolished because winter weather had cracked the bricks. Overnight accommodations are available in the keeper's houses and there is a small café. Located on a small island in the southern Kalmarsund about 3 km (2 mi) east of Bergkvara. Accessible only by boat; transportation is provided in the summer from the Bergkvara Marina. Site open, tower open daily late June to late August and on weekends late May to late June. Site manager: Garpens Fyr . ARLHS SWE-145; SV-5845; Admiralty C7416; NGA 7776.
Utgrunden
1947 (lightship station established 1866). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); one long flash every 8 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 29 m (95 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, mounted on a conical concrete pier. A tall communications tower has been added to the top of the lighthouse, and a continuous red aircraft warning light is shown at the top (focal plane 90 m (295 ft). Hartmann has a page for the lighthouse and Trabas has a distant view but the lighthouse is not shown in Google's satellite view. The original lantern is mounted on a faux lighthouse at Degerhamn, Öland. The Utgrunden area is now the site of a huge windfarm. Located on a shoal in the southern entrance to the Kalmarsund about 9 km (5.5 mi) east of Enebacken and a similar distance west of Degerhamn, Öland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-405; SV-5862; Admiralty C7420; NGA 7780.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

  • Grimskär (1837-1940?), Kalmar. Huelse has a historic postcard view. The lighthouse was replaced by the offshore Skansgrundet lighthouse. The original location is now the site of a petroleum tank farm. ARLHS SWE-156.
  • Skäggenäs (1883-1944?), near Revsudden. Huelse has a historic postcard view. Nothing remains of the lighthouse, which was replaced by the offshore Sillåsen lighthouse. ex-SV-1037 (older numbering).

Notable faux lighthouses:


Garpen Light, Bergkvara, July 2022
Google Maps photo by Tobias Sandberg

Adjoining pages: North: Norrköping Area | East: Öland | South: Blekinge

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted June 4, 2007. Checked and revised January 22, 2024. Lighthouses: 42. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.