Norway – Utsira lighthouse

The island of Utsira is situated off the southwest coast of Norway. Utsira is the smallest municipality in Norway, with approximately 215 inhabitants.

Utsira lighthouse lies on a hill on the northwest side of the island, approximately 18 km out to sea west of Haugesund. The lighthouse was established in 1844 and two towers were built. Utsira is the only place in Norway where twin towers are to be found on a lighthouse site. The towers were adapted to the landscape so that their lights were the same height. The lighthouse towers project 78 metres above sea level and are the highest situated lights in Norway. The towers themselves are 13.3 metres high.

During the period 1844-1890, both lights were in operation at the same time. There were two permanent white lights, thus distinguishing the lighthouse at Utsira from the one on the island of Kvitsoy, which had only one light. One of the towers was closed down in 1890 and remains standing to this day, without its lantern room. A large, French, top-quality lens apparatus was installed in the other tower. This lens was in use until 2004, when a diode lantern was installed, which is mounted externally on the top of the lens room. The lighthouse ceased to be manned in the autumn of 2004.

The lighthouse lies, unoccupied and beautiful, in a landscape with close links to the main area of habitation on Utsira. The area around the lighthouse contains evident remains of German fortifications from the war. The tower without a lantern room was also used as a cannon position during the Second World War, and evident traces of this are still to be seen in the tower today.

Because of its position so far west out to sea, the lighthouse on Utsira was one of the first lighthouses where meteorological observations were started; the first readings were taken in 1860. The lighthouse is still an important meteorological station. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute has automatized the station and, because of this, has made adjustments to the equipment. Besides the weather readings, climate studies are also carried out, measuring a whole series of parameters several times a day: pressure, temperature, visibility, humidity, precipitation, cloud coverage and cloud type.

Legal status
Utsira lighthouse forms part of the National Plan for Preservation of Lighthouses in Norway. The lighthouse was preserved with effect from 25 May 1999 under Section 15 of the Cultural Heritage Act of 9 June 1978.

This preservation order covers the lighthouse tower, the lighthouse tower without a lantern, two sets of living accommodation, the machine room, two outhouses, the boathouse and outside lavatories. The preservation relates to the exterior and interior of the lighthouse towers, and to the other buildings’ exteriors, as well as to their interiors with regard to the original main structure/distribution of space.

The preservation requirements further cover an area around the lighthouse with regard to Section 19 of the Cultural Heritage Act.

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