Lighthouses of Norway: Western Finnmark (Hammerfest Area)

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 northernmost coast of Norway, including the western half of Finnmark county. This entire region is well north of the Arctic Circle. Nonetheless it is fairly well populated, with several ports, the largest being Hammerfest. The region also includes part of the Nordkapp (North Cape) region, the "top of Europe," marked by several great lighthouses.

In 2020 Troms and Finnmark Counties were merged to form Troms og Finnmark County. This merger was not popular and it proved unworkable due to the large area of the merged county. In June 2022 parliament decided to reverse the merger effective 1 January 2024.

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 volume L of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 115.

General Sources
Norsk Fyrhistorisk Forening
News and photos from the Norwegian Lighthouse Association.
Lighthouse Pages from Anke and Jens - Norway
Excellent photos of more than 60 Norwegian lighthouses.
Norway's Fjorden and Lighthouses
Photos taken by Charles W. Bash on a 2010 cruise from Bergen to North Cape.
Online List of Lights - Norway
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Most of the photos for this area are by Capt. Peter Mosselberger (Capt. Peter), Michael Boucher, or Arno Siering.
Lighthouses in Finnmark
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Fyrstasjoner i Finnmark
Information on the major Finnmark lighthouses posted by the Kystverkmusea in Lindenes in southern Norway.
Liste over Norske Fyr
From Wikipedia, a handy list of Norwegian light stations with their dates of establishment.
Norwegische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Norsk Fyrliste
The official Norwegian light list can be downloaded in .pdf format.


Fruholmen Light, Måsøy, September 2018
Google Maps street view by Oskar W. Kristensen

Westernmost Finnmark Lighthouses

Loppa Township Lighthouses
Brynnilen (Brynilen)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 4.5 m (15 ft) lantern mounted on a concrete base. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Boucher's photo and Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on an island just north of the border with Troms County. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. NF-913400; Admiralty L3796; NGA 13732.
Gammelværneset
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 8.5 m (28 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Trabas has Boucher's photo but the light is not seen in Bing's satellite view. Located at the tip of a promontory on the west side of the entrance to the Ullsfjord, about 25 km (15 mi) northwest of Øksfjord. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-915200; Admiralty L3810; NGA 13768.
* Øksfjord (Ystnes)
Date unknown (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 11.5 m (38 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Michael Boucher's photo is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter's closeup photo, Google has a street view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the entrance to the Øksfjord and the town of Øksfjord. Site open, tower closed. NF-916200; Admiralty L3815; NGA 13788.
Øksfjord Fyr
Øksfjord (Ystnes) Light, Loppa, September 2011
photo copyright Michael Boucher; used by permission

Alta Township Lighthouses
Eidsnes
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5.5 m (18 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof, skeletal portion painted black. Siering's photo is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, Google has a distant street view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the south side of the Langfjord. Site status unknown (this light is close to the E6 highway, but it is probably on private property). NF-928900; Admiralty L3918; NGA 14004.
Langnesholmen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery supported by four piles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, skeletal portion painted black. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on an island on the west side of the entrance to the Altafjord about 25 km (15 mi) north of Alta. Site open, tower closed. NF-928700; Admiralty L3916; NGA 14000.
Amtmannsneset (Amtmannsnes)
Date unknown (station established 1907). Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 7 m (23 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof, skeletal portion painted black. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory projecting into the Altafjord about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Alta. Site open, tower closed. NF-929700; Admiralty L3926; NGA 14016.
Stjernsund (Luftnes)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13.5 m (45 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft) tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of Stjernøy. Probably accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-928500; Admiralty L3914; NGA 13996.

Eidsnes, Alta, June 2015
ex-Panoramio photo copyright Arno Siering; used by permission

Hasvik Municipality (Western Sørøya) Lighthouses
Sørøya is a large island, the fourth largest in Norway, located west of Hammerfest. Ferries and cruise ships sailing for Hammerfest pass through the Sørøysund on the south side of the island. The island is accessible by ferries from Øksfjord and Kårhamn.

Svartskjær
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 9 m (30 ft) lantern and gallery supported by four straightpiles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black. No photo available but Google has a very distant street view and a fuzzy satellite view of the skerry. Located on a skerry in the Hasfjord, about 8 km (5 mi) west of Hasvik. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-921600; Admiralty L3863; NGA 13888.
* Hasvik Nordre Molo (North Mole)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7.5 m (25 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 5 m (17 ft) lantern and gallery on a short concrete post. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. A closeup photo is available, Google has a very distant street view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located at the end of the north mole in Hasvik, near the southwestern tip of Sorøya. Accessible by walking the mole; there's also a good view from ferries arriving in Hasvik from Øksfjord. Site open, tower closed. NF-921300; Admiralty L3861; NGA 13880.
Stangneset (Stangnes)
Date unknown (station established 1911). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery supported by four straightpiles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black. No photo available but Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on a promontory near Hasvåg, about 2 km (1.25 mi) northwest of Hasvik. Site open, tower closed. NF-920600; Admiralty L3854; NGA 13868.
Breivik (Panseren)
Date unknown (station established 1906). Inactive since 2023. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery supported by four straightpiles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black. Thorbjørn Riise Haagensen has a view of the island and lighthouse and Google has a very distant street view and a distant satellite view. Located on a skerry in the entrance to the harbor of Breivik, on the west coast of Sørøya. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ex-NF-920200; ex-Admiralty L3850; NGA 13860.
* Sørvær Molo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5.5 m (18 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery supported by four straightpiles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black. Frank M. Ingilæ contributed the 2009 photo seen at right, Google has a 2019 street view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a skerry inside the harbor of Sørvær; the skerry is connected to the west (main) breakwater. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. NF-920000; Admiralty L3846; NGA 13852.
Flatøy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22.5 m (74 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 7 m (23 ft) lantern and gallery supported by four straightpiles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black. No photo available but Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a small island on the east side of the entrance to the Galtefjord, a large inlet on the north side of Sorøya. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-918900; Admiralty L3836; NGA 13840.
Sørvær Molo Light
Sørvær Mole Light, Hasvik, July 2009
ex-Panoramio photo copyright Frank M. Ingilæ; permission requested

Hammerfest Township Lighthouses

Hammerfest Kommune is centered on the Sørøysund and includes portions of the islands of Sørøya, Seiland, and Kvaløya as well as many smaller islands. The town itself is located on the west coast of Kvaløya.

Eastern Sørøya Lighthouses
Store Kamøy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24.5 m (80 ft); two flashes every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. No photo available; Google has a distant satellite view. This light guides vessels through the Kamøysund, a narrow passage around the north end of Sorøya. Located on the southeastern coast of Store Kamøy. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-918200; Admiralty L3830; NGA 13824.
Tarhalsen
1984. Active; focal plane 90 m (295 ft); flash every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. A 2010 photo is available and Google has a satellite view. There is also a closeup of a large, 3-tiered rubblestone cairn, built in the 1850s, that served as a daymarker on this cape. Located atop a vertical cliff at the northernmost point of Sørøya. Site open, tower closed. NF-918000; Admiralty L3826; NGA 13820.
Litlenæringen
2005. Active; focal plane unknown; white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. The Kystverket's photo is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter's view from the sea and Google has a distant satellite view. This light is a typical example of modern fiberglass lights that are being installed across the north of Norway. Located atop a vertical cliff on the easternmost tip of Sørøya. Site open, tower closed. NF-924700; Admiralty L3881; NGA 13822.
Slettnesfjord
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. Trabas has Boucher's view from the sea and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland on the east coast of Sørøya, about 25 km (15 mi) west of Hammerfest. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown (may be accessible from a nearby road). NF-923800; Admiralty L3878; NGA 13928.

Litlenæringen Light, Sorøya
Kystverket photo
Vatnholmen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) lantern and gallery supported by four piles; the rear piles are connected by a wall. The lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. Behind the lighthouse is a square pyramidal wood daybeacon with slatted sides. Trabas has Boucher's photo and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a small island off the southeast coast of Sørøya, about 50 km (30 mi) southwest of Hammerfest. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. NF-922500; Admiralty L3870; NGA 13904.

Northern Kvaløya Lighthouses
Håja
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17.5 m (58 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6.5 m (21 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery. Trabas has Boucher's photo, Bash has a view from the sea (misidentified as Slettnesfjord), and Google has a satellite view. Located on the southeastern point of a steep-sided island about 15 km (9 mi) west of Hammerfest, marking the entrance to the town. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. NF-924300; Admiralty L3880; NGA 13922.
* Fuglenes (Fugleneset, Hammerfest) (3)
Date unknown (station established 1859). Inactive since 2015. 5 m (16 ft) quadrupod skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white, originally with a red roof. Valerii Zhukov's 2021 photo is at right, the Lighthouse Association has a page for the light station, Wikimedia has a 2013 closeup photo, Bash has a 2010 view from the fjord and a closer view, Peter Lehner has a March 2014 street view, and Google has a satellite view. Emanuel Carvalho's 2018 photo and Claudio Dos-Santos's 2021 photo show that the lighthouse was not removed after deactivation, and it appears to be in good condition. Huelse has a postcard view showing the original lighthouse, a square tower attached to the gable end of a 1-1/2 story keeper's house. This building was replaced in 1911 and does not survive. Also shown in the postcard view is the second light, which was destroyed by German troops in World War II. Fuglenes is the neighborhood on the north side of the harbor of Hammerfest. The lighthouse is at the end of a peninsula jutting out from Fuglenes and sheltering the harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-089; ex-NF-924800; ex-Admiralty L3884; NGA 13940.
Melkøya
Date unknown. Inactive since before 2008. 6 m (20 ft) post with lantern and galley. Lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. Geir Ove Sørvik has a 2006 photo and Google has a satellite view. Melkøya is a small island a short distance north of Hammerfest that is completely covered by a terminal for natural gas from the Barents Sea. Located on the west side of the island. Site and tower closed.

Fuglenes Light, Hammerfest, December 2021
Google Maps photo by Valerii Zhukov
Skipsholmen
2005. Active; focal plane unknown; white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. The Kystverket's photo is at right, Trabas has Siering's very distant view, a closer view from the sea is available (second photo in the "Pictures" section) and Bing has a distant satellite view. Skipsholmen is an island north of Hammerfest, about 13 km (8 mi) northeast of Sørøya and 10 km (6 mi) southwest of Rolvsøya. The light guides vessels approaching Hammerfest from the open sea. Located at the west end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. NF-925200; Admiralty L3824; NGA 13823.

Måsøy Township Lighthouses

West Side Porsanger Peninsula Lighthouse
Måsholmen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on 3 s. off. 6 m (20 ft) lantern supported by four concrete piles. The lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a small island off Kroknes, a promontory of the mainland. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. NF-930700; Admiralty L3935; NGA 14040.

Rolvsøya and Ingøy Lighthouses
Rolvsøya is a large island located northeast of Hammerfest. The island stands at the bend of the Norwegian coast from southwest-northeast to east-west, leading to Nordkapp (North Cape). Ingøy is a smaller island north of Rolvsøya. Both islands are accessible by ferry.

Valfjord (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); red flash every 5 s. Described as a 5.5 m (18 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is white, lantern roof red. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Although the Norsk Fyrliste description has not changed the current light pattern and NF number suggest that the original lighthouse has been replaced by a post light. Located on a headland on the north side of the upper Valfjord, a deep inlet on the west side of Rolvsøy. Site status unknown. NF-936502; Admiralty L3977; NGA 14072.

Skipsholmen Light, Hammerfest, 2006
Kystverket photo
Trollsundet
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the southwestern point of Ingøy, marking the entrance to the Trollsund, the passage between Ingøy and Rolvsøy. Site status unknown. NF-935400; Admiralty L3970; NGA 14112.
Ingøy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17.5 m (57 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 8.5 m (26 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. No photo available but Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the entrance to Ingøy harbor. Site status unknown. NF-934700; Admiralty L3964; NGA 14096.
Fruholmen (Upper) (2)
About 1949 (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); white flash every 20 s. 18 m (59 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. A portion of Oskar W. Kristensen's 2018 street view is at the top of this page, Trabas has Capt. Peter's distant view, the Kystverkmusea has a page for the lighthouse, Allan Klo has a drone view of the station, and Google has a satellite view of the island. This is the first of the three major lighthouses that guide ships around the Nordkapp (North Cape) into the Barents Sea, and it is actually the northernmost of the three, standing in latitude 71° 05.6' N. The original lighthouse, a cast iron tower shown in Huelse's postcard view, was destroyed during World War II. The lighthouse is often described as verdens nordligsta fyr (the world's northernmost lighthouse); this is true in the limited sense that it is the northernmost traditional masonry lighthouse. Located on a small island off the north side of Ingøy, an island off the northwest coast of Ingøy. Accessible only by boat; visible distantly from Ingøy. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-088; NF-934500; Admiralty L3962; NGA 14092.
Fruholmen (Lower)
Date unknown. Inactive since 2022. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. This auxiliary light guided ships around reefs near the lighthouse. Located at the base of the taller light. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-428; ex-NF-934510.
Gunnarnes (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 11 m (36 ft) round fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery colored white with a red roof. Linn Sæther has the photo seen at right and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Masøy Kommune has posted a photo of an earlier light, a short skeletal tower. Located at Gunnarnes, a village on the east side of Rolvsøy. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-430; NF-935800; Admiralty L3973; NGA 14116.
Rolvsøyhamn
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Trabas has Siering's photo, Bash has a distant view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the east side of the island of Rolvsøy, about 15 km (9 mi) south of Gunnarnes. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-936700; Admiralty L3978; NGA 14120.

Gunnarnes Light, Måsøy, September 2018
Facebook photo by Linn Sæther

Hjelmsøy and Måsøy Area Lighthouses
Garpeskjær (Garpholmen)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on concrete piles. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Siering's photo (also seen at right), Bash has a photo, and Masøy Kommune has a photo, but the light is hard to see in Google's satellite view. Ferries between Hammerfest and Havøysund pass close by this light as they pass between the tip of the Porsanger Peninsula and the island of Hjelmsøy. Located on a small island about 3 km (2 mi) east northeast of Havøysund. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-937400; Admiralty L3989; NGA 14156.
Svartviknæringen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 11 m (36 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery mounted on concrete piles. Lantern painted white with a red roof. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a steep promontory at the northeastern tip of Hjelmsøy. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-939800; Admiralty L3994; NGA 14168.
[Måsøy (Torveneset)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11.5 m (38 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 3 m (10 ft) lantern with snow screen. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Boucher's photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on Torvesnet, the promontory sheltering the north side of the harbor of Måsøy. Site status unknown. NF-940600; Admiralty L4000; NGA 14184.

North Side Porsanger Peninsula Lighthouse
Smedberget
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 5.5 m (18 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. No photo available but Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on a promontory on the west side of the Kobbsfjord. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. NF-942500; Admiralty L4009; NGA 14204.

Garpeskjær Light, Måsøy, June 2012
photo copyright Arno Siering; used by permission

Nordkapp Township Lighthouses

North Side Porsanger Peninsula Lighthouse
Lafjord
Date unknown (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 7.5 m (25 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 15 s. 4 m (14 ft) lantern and snow screen. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Masøy Kommune posted the photo at right and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the south side of the Magerøysund at the east side of the entrance to the Lafjord, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the Magerøy tunnel. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. NF-943600; Admiralty L4018; NGA 14236.

Magerøy Lighthouses
Sandholmen (Gjesvær)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted black with a white vertical stripe, lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Ronald Wöhrn's photo, Andrea Perotti has a good photo, Wayne Hopkins has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island at the eastern entrance to Gjesvær, a small port on the northwest side of Magerøy. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-941800; Admiralty L4006; NGA 14216.
[Knivskjærodden (North Cape)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white or red depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) light mounted on a small cabinet atop a plain concrete block column. Trabas has Boucher's distant view, Petr Křivánek has a street view, and Google has a distant satellite view of the cape. This very modest light marks the northernmost point of the European mainland, at 71° 11.1' N. (Knivskjærodden is the Norwegian name for the precise point of the cape. Nordkapp, a Norwegian transliteration of the English name North Cape, is the name of the municipality that includes all of Magerøy and sections of the adjoining mainland.) Much better known to tourists is the Nordkapp parking area and monument, at the end of the E69 highway, about 4 km (2.5 mi) to the southeast; here every summer tens of thousands of tourists stand atop a steep cliff to watch the midnight sun at what is almost the northernmost point of Europe. It is quite a long hike, some 18 km (11 mi), from the parking area to Knivskjærodden. Located at the northern tip of Magerøy. Site open. NF-947100; Admiralty L4041; NGA 14300.

Lafjord Light, Nordkapp
Masøy Kommune photo
Helnes (Helneset) (2)
1948 (station established 1908). Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); two white flashes every 30 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story concrete keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. One of the station buildings is available for overnight accommodations. Astrid G. Olsen's photo is at right, Bengt Roger Markussen has a 2022 photo, Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo of the station, Alejandro Mezcua has a distant view from the sea, the Kystverkmusea has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This is the second of the three major Nordkapp (North Cape) lighthouses. The lighthouse was sold to Nordkapp Kommune in 2004. The municipality sold it to a company that renovated it for overnight stays, but this venture failed and the Kystverket resumed ownership in 2011. Located on a promontory at the eastern end of Magerøy. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NOR-023; NF-946000; Admiralty L4034; NGA 14276.
Skarsvåg (Borneset)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21.5 m (71 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof. No closeup photo available but Google has a satellite view and Trabas has Boucher's very distant view. Located on a razor-sharp promontory on the northeast coast of Magerøy. Site status unknown. NF-946800; Admiralty L4040; NGA 14296.
* Kamøyfjord (Kamøyvær)
Date unknown (station established 1902). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern white with a red roof. Trabas has Capt. Peter's closeup photo and Google has a distant street view and an indistinct satellite view. Located at the entrance to Kamøyvær, a small port on the east side of Magerøy. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-133; NF-946200; Admiralty L4038; NGA 14288.

Helnes Light, Nordkapp, July 2019
Google Maps photo by Astrid G. Olsen
* Søre Honningsvåg
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern. The tower is unpainted; lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Siering's closeup photo, Waynes Hopkins has a closeup and more distant view, Bash has a photo, and Google has a street view and an indistinct satellite view. Honningsvåg is a small port on the southeast side of Magerøy. Located on a ridge above the waterfront of Honningsvåg. Site open, tower closed. NF-944200; Admiralty L4022; NGA 14248.

Porsangerfjord Lighthouses

The Porsangerfjord is a large embayment, 123 km (77 mi) long, on the east side of the Porsanger Peninsula. The upper (southern) half of the fjord is surrounded by the Porsanger Municipality; the northern half is in Nordkapp.

Porsanger Township Lighthouses
Cuoldagas
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11.5 m (38 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) concrete post with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a promontory on the lower east side of the fjord. Site status unknown. NF-950200; Admiralty L4067; NGA 14360.
Hjellneset
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Trabas has Capt. Peter's closeup photo (also seen at right) and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the lower east side of the fjord. Site status unknown. NF-948400; Admiralty L4046; NGA 14324.

Nordkapp Township Lighthouse
Hårvikneset
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 10 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the upper east side of the fjord. Site status unknown. NF-948200; Admiralty L4045; NGA 14320.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:


Hjellneset Light, Porsanger, July 2016
photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger; used by permission

Adjoining pages: North: Svalbard | East: Eastern Finnmark (Vadsø Area) | South: Northern Troms

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Posted August 3, 2006. Checked and revised December 25, 2024. Lighthouses: 43. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.