Lighthouses of Sweden: Gävleborg

The nation 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 Sweden's lighthouses on the southwest coast of the Gulf of Bothnia in Gävleborg County (Gävleborgs län). The coastline of this area faces east on the portion of the Gulf known in Sweden as the Bothnian Sea (Bottenhavet), with Finland on the other side roughly 175-250 km (110-150 mi) away.

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). Many of the major lighthouses have resident attendents, and guided tours can often be arranged.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. SV numbers are from the Sjöfarsverket light list (Fyrlista) as reported by the Swedish Lighthouse Society. Admiralty numbers are from volume C of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 116.

General Sources
Swedish Lighthouse Society (Svenska Fyrsällskapet, SFA)
The Society is active in promoting the preservation of Swedish lighthouses.
Svenskt Fyrväsende
From the SFA web site, data and photos for many of the lighthouses.
Online Lists of Lights - Sweden - Bothnian Sea
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.
World of Lighthouses - Sweden
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Lighthouses in Sweden
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Lighthouses in Sweden
Photos posted by Marinas.com.
Schwedische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
Google Maps
Satellite view of Gävleborg.


Storjungfrun Light, Söderhamn, October 2020
Instagrams photo by vakantiezweden

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. 2015 photo is at right, a 2007 photo is available 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 but it remains in service. 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. Active light: SV-1634; Admiralty C6042; NGA 10732.
Mellanfjärden
1948. 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. SFA has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a closeup 2010 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the west side of the entrance to the harbor of Mellanfjärden. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. SV-1644; Admiralty C6043; NGA 10708.
Ingaskär (2)
1994 (station established 1917). Inactive. 5 m (17 ft) square wood tower; the light was shown through a window. Lighthouse painted white. Håkan Löfgren has a photo (1/4 the way down the page) but trees hide the building in Google's satellite view. SFA has a photo of a historic beacon nearby. 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. ex-SV-1665; ex-Admiralty C6045.8; ex-NGA 10706.

Gran Light, Nordanstig, August 2015
SFA Creative Commons photo

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. Fredrica Jonsson's 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup 2010 photo, a 2024 photo is available, SFA has a page with photos, Kormányos Zsolt has a 2019 photo, 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.
Saltviksudde
1938 (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. SFA has a page with photos by Tore Olsson, Trabas has a closeup photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing 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 and tower closed (surrounded by private property). 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. 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.

Hölickskär Light, Hölick, April 2023
Google Maps photo by Fredrica Jonsson
Agö (2)
1884 (station established 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 2021 photo is at right, a 2008 photo is available, Åke Jerling has a 2016 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view of the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The keeper's house is the 1860 original; initially the light was shown from a light tower atop the roof. 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 (3)
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 2021 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 is still active as of 2025. Located adjacent to the historic lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-078; SV-1698; Admiralty C6060; NGA 10624.

Söderhamn Lighthouses
Vitgrund (Hvitgrund)
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. 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.

Agö Lights, Agö, August 2021
Instagram photo by Pontus
Prästgrundet (Prästholmen) (2)
1950 (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. A 2019 photo is available and Google has a satellite view. In 2007 the light was reported to be scheduled for deactivation, but it is still listed. 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
1963. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery colored green with a yellow horizontal band. Trabas has a 2010 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. SV-1805; Admiralty C6093; NGA 10548.
Norrutharet
1930 (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. Daniel Åkerman has the 2023 street view at right, Trabas has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. 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. The light is not seen in Google's satellite view. The lighthouse formerly carried a helipad, as seen in the first photo by Esbjörn Hillberg on SFA's page for the lighthouse. 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 2010 photo, SFA has a page for the lighthouse, Torsten Richter has a 2021 photo, Andreas Köhler has a 2022 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a spit on the south side of the entrance to Ljusne, about 13 km (8 mi) south of Söderhamn. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-479; SV-1871; 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. The 2nd order Fresnel lens was transferred from the Landsort lighthouse in Southern Stockhom County in 1938. A 2020 photo is at the top of this page, the Länsmuseet Gävleborg has a 2013 photo, another photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, 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; docking facilities available. Water taxi service from Stenö is available for guests renting cottages on the island. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: STF Hostel Storjungfrun. . ARLHS SWE-064; SV-1890; Admiralty C6122; NGA 10476.

Norrutharet Light, Söderhamn, September 2023
Google Maps street view by Daniel Åkerman

Gävle Lighthouses
 
Gåshällan (2)
1954 (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. No photo of the current lighthouse available but Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a skerry about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Norrsundet. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-147; SV-1922; Admiralty C6146; NGA 10464.
Trödjehällan (3)
1970 (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 with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern red. J. Hammarin has a closeup photo (last photo on the page) and Google has a distant satellite view. The original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1906. 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; SV-1970; Admiralty C6174; NGA 10428.
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; the keeper's house is available for vacation rental. A 2020 photo is at right, Björn Kjellberg has a 2018 view, a closeup is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, 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 a nature preserve and is popular as a birding site. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Gävle Kommun. . ARLHS SWE-007; SV-1959; Admiralty C6172; NGA 10340.

Eggegrund Light, Gävle, August 2020
Instagram photo by bonakusten
*** 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 historic pilot station stands next to the lighthouse. Maria Dahlgren's 2024 photo is at right, a 2023 photo is available, Magnus Pettersson has a good 2021 photo, Jan Svensson has a 2017 photo, a 2007 photo is available, the Sjöfartsverket has a photo, SFA has a page with photos, Swedish Wikipedia has a page with a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The old lighthouse has been renovated by the Sjöfartsverket 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, SFA's page has a photo by Esbjörn Hillberg, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 40 m (44 yd) east of the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-100; SV-1985; Admiralty C6184; NGA 10356.
Gävle Entrance No. 1 (H4)
1931. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 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 2010 photo and Google has a distant 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.
Gävle Entrance No. 2 (H3)
1931. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); green light occulting once every 4 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 green with a white roof. Trabas has a 2010 photo (with light #1 in the background), Andreas Köhler has a 2022 photo, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on the north side of the Gävle entrance channel. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6188; NGA 10376.

1840 Bönan Light, Gävle, September 2024
Instagram photo by Maria Dahlgren
Holmuddsrännan (Gävle Entrance H6)
1931. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red light, pattern unknown. 8 m (26 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Tower is white, lantern painted red with a white roof. Trabas has Erich Hartmann's 2014 photo and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on the south side of the Gävle entrance channel opposite the Entrance No. 2 light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C6187.
Gävle Entrance No. 3 (H5)
1931. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 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, and Bing 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. Removed in 2014. This was a 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 2010 photo but Google's satellite view confirms removal of the light. The light was removed during a project in 2014 to dredge a new entrance channel. Formerly located on the south side of the Gävle entrance channel. ex-Admiralty C6194; ex-NGA 10384.
Herosgrund
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); red light occulting once every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) round lantern atop a concrete post. Lantern painted red with a white roof. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on a dangerous shoal of the south side of the Gävle entrance channel. Admiralty C6195; NGA 10404.
* 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. Formerly painted dark red, the building is now painted white; roof is red. Magdalena Foryś has the 2021 photo at right, H. Arvidsson has a 2023 photo, Henrik Åsberg has a 2017 photo of the two lights, Wikimedia has a photo, 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. Owner/site manager: Gävle Kommun. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SWE-262.

Old and new Limö Lights, Gävle, April 2021
Google Maps photo by Magdalena Foryś
* Limö (Övre) (2)
1980 (station established 1902). Probably inactive since 2011. 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. Daniel Åkerman has a closeup 2023 street view, Magdalena Foryś has the 2021 photo above right, and Wikimedia also has a photo of the two lights. 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. In 2011 the range lights were replaced with directional lights seen only along the former range lines. Located near the eastern end of the island. Passenger ferry service to the island is available. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Gävle Kommun. ARLHS SWE-263; ex-SV-1981; ex-Admiralty C6176.
* Fyrskepp 2B Almagrundet
1896 (Brodins Shipyard, Gävle). Decommissioned 1969. 23.5 m (77 ft) steel lightship; light tower with lantern and gallery amidships. Vessel painted red with white trim. A 2022 photo is at right, Gunilla Bertlin has a closeup 2022 photo, Wikimedia has a 2016 photo, and a photo of the ship rigged for winter is available. The ship served the Almagrundet station for its first 16 years. After serving many years (1927-51) on the Hävringe station, it was converted in 1952 to a combination lightship and pilot vessel for Malmö. The ship was decommissioned after being forced aground and damaged by a violent storm in 1969. Repaired and restored, for the next twenty years it was open as a museum vessel in Malmö. In 1989, by which time the ship had fallen into very poor condition, it was sold to Knuth Borg. Borg restored the ship and had it moored at the Tullhus pier in downtown Västerås. In 2015 it was again restored and relocated to Gävle. Daniel Åkerman has a 2022 sea view and Google has a 2019 street view and a satellite view of the ship at its new home. Moored at the foot of the Redargaten in Gävle harbor. Site open, tours of the vessel can be arranged. Owner/site manager: Almagrundets Vänner (Fyrskeppet Almagrundet). . ARLHS SWE-238.

Lightship Almagrundet, Gävle, July 2022
Google Maps photo by Hans B

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Västernorrland | South: Uppsala

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Posted August 13, 2007. Checked and revised February 22, 2026. Lighthouses: 25, lightships: 1. Site copyright 2026 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.