The Kingdom of Norway (Norge in Norwegian) is one of the world's most maritime nations. The country is long and narrow with drowned valleys called fjords that bring the sea far inland in most regions. The mainland coast is estimated to be 2650 km (1650 mi) long and when all the islands and minor indentations are counted the total coastline approaches an astonishing 60,000 km (37,500 mi), long enough the go around the world one and a half times. With such a lengthy and rocky shore it's not surprising that Norway has a large number of lighthouses. Norway is divided into counties (fylker) and the counties are divided into townships (kommuner). This page lists lighthouses of the southern portion of the former Hordaland County in southwestern Norway, including the region south of Bergen. An outstanding feature of this region is the Hardangerfjord, Norway's second longest fjord with a length of 179 km (111 mi). On 1 January 2020 Hordaland County and most of Sogn og Fjordane County were merged to form Vestland County. In Norwegian a lighthouse is a fyrtårn (fire tower) or simply a fyr; a fyrlykt is a beacon and a lyktehus is a lantern. Øy is an island, holmen is an islet, skjær is a skerry (a tiny island or rocky reef), sund is a strait (often between an island and the mainland), bukt is a bay, nes is a headland, and havn is a harbor. Aids to navigation in Norway are maintained by the Kystverket (Coast Directorate), an agency of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. NF numbers are from the Norsk Fyrliste. Admiralty numbers are from volumes B and L of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 115. However since 2018 the NGA List has dropped many of the lights of Norwegian fjords.
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![]() Jonanes Light, Jondal, August 2011 photo copyright Stefan Kontradowitz; used by permission |
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![]() 1875 Økshammaren Light, September 2011 photo copyright Michael Boucher; used by permission |
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![]() Pirholmen Light, Austevoll, May 2009 ex-Panoramio Creative Commons photo by trolvag |
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: South: Haugesund Area | North: Bergen Area
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted June 19, 2006. Checked and revised June 27, 2024. Lighthouses: 47. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.