Bengtskär Lighthouse

Kemiönsaari, Finland

Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.

German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.

After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period. Finally, the lighthouse was re-opened in 1950.

Today the Bengtskär lighthouse is a popular tourist attraction providing a museum, varying exhibitions, cafe and accomodation services. The lighthouse is open for visitors every day between June 1st and August 31st. The shortest sea route to Bengtskär goes through the beautiful archipelago. The trip from Kasnäs to Bengtskär takes about an hour.

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Address

Norrfjärdintie 2, Kemiönsaari, Finland
See all sites in Kemiönsaari

Details

Founded: 1905-1906
Category:
Historical period: Russian Grand Duchy (Finland)

More Information

www.bengtskar.fi
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Hanko Church (28,7 km)
Mathildedal Ironworks (59,7 km)
Hiittinen Church (18,7 km)
Söderlångvik (34,6 km)
Västanfjärd Churches (37,2 km)
Angelniemi Church (67,7 km)
Kemiö Church (51,4 km)
Hauensuoli (24,7 km)
The Sagalund Museum (50,3 km)

User Reviews

Olli Mustonen (15 months ago)
Hieno kohde Hangosta tai Kasnäsistä. Hangosta retki maksoi kesällä 2018 n.60e ja siihen sisältyi matka, maihinnousu sekä lohikeitto. Kiva päiväretki.
Kevin O'Brien (16 months ago)
Went there on a hot, sunny summer day and were met by a friendly man who told us about the island and lighthouse. We paid the landing fee (8 euro), which was quite reasonable as it included admission to the lighthouse. We enjoyed coffee and fresh pulla (sweet buns) in the coffee shop. You can even get Bengtskär lighthouse own ground coffee from the cafe! We climbed the spiral staircase to the light for fantastic views and the climb was worth it! Other nice features include names engraved into the smooth granite bedrock and even we even found a geocache near the bunker. Overall a fantastic place and a great experience. I would recommend making the effort to visit.
Paavo (17 months ago)
Suosittelen tätä kohdetta kaikille kotimaanmatkailijoille. Ei pelkästään upea nähtävyys, elämys ja maisemat vaan myös merkittävä palanen Suomen sotahistoriaa.
Ausra (18 months ago)
One of the best experience in Finland. Totally in love with this place. Highly recommend to visit.
dong ding (2 years ago)
The lighthouse is interesting but it is really the view of archipelago that will take your breath away.
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