Lighthouse of the Week, June 30 - July 6, 2024: Lindesnes Fyr, Norway

 

Over the years, I've featured several lighthouses in Norway as the Lighthouse of the Week. There have been mainland lighthouses and island lighthouses.  And there are probably still many more, because Norway has a lot of coastline.

However, I'm a bit surprised I missed this one. It's the Lindesnes Fyr (fyr means lighthouse in Norwegian, if you hadn't guessed), and it's the southernmost lighthouse in the whole country.  For a mapped reminder of where that is, click right here.

The history of this one goes back centuries, because according to a couple of sources, the first light lit at this location to guide ships was lit in 1656. Let's find out more from the Lighthouse Directory. And there's quite a lot.

"1915 (station established 1656). Active: focal plane 50 m (164 ft); continuous white light with a more intense flash every 20 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, adjacent to a 1-story keeper's house. The 1854 1st order Fresnel lens (transferred from an older tower) is in use. Tower and house painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. The keeper's house is now in use as a lighthouse museum. ... For westbound ships the light also serves as the rear light of a range. This is one of Norway's best known and most historic lighthouses, marking the southernmost point of the Norwegian mainland and the entrance to the Skaggerak and the Baltic Sea from the North Sea. The first tower was in use only briefly in 1656. A more permanent lighthouse (one of a pair, Markøy being the twin) was built in 1725, and new towers were built in 1822 and in 1854. A preservation foundation was formed in 1992 and the station was opened to visitors soon thereafter. The station was staffed until 2003; after it was automated the site became a museum and a very popular tourist attraction. There is a visitor center, restaurant, and gift shop in addition to the historic buildings."

Impressive, right?

There's even a webcam. https://lindesnesfyr.no/en/webcam/

Now, time for pictures and a video. I tried to find a historical picture of the first lighthouse, but was unsuccessful. 

Video: