Marstein Lighthouse

Marstein Lighthouse
Location Hordaland, Norway
Coordinates 60°07′50″N 05°00′36″E / 60.13056°N 5.01000°E / 60.13056; 5.01000Coordinates: 60°07′50″N 05°00′36″E / 60.13056°N 5.01000°E / 60.13056; 5.01000
Year first lit 1877
Automated 2002
Tower shape Square
Markings / pattern White with red roof
Height 17.3 metres (57 ft)
Focal height 37.5 metres (123 ft)
Intensity 840,000 candela
Range 10.6 nmi (19.6 km; 12.2 mi)
Characteristic Iso WR 4s
Racon M
Admiralty number B3780
NGA number 3520
ARLHS number NOR-031
Norway number 159000

Marstein Lighthouse (Norwegian: Marstein fyrstasjon) is an active lighthouse in the municipality of Austevoll, in Hordaland county, Norway. It is located on a small island just west of the island of Stora Kalsøy on the south side of the entrance to the Korsfjorden and therefore assists ships going to both the city of Bergen and to the Hardangerfjorden.[1]

Store Marstein and the Lighthouse on a calm summer day in 2008
Marstein Lighthouse and Keeper's House

The Marstein Lighthouse currently consists of a 17-metre (56 ft) tall square, white, masonry tower with a red roof, and a single-storey service building attached. The light sits at an elevation of 37.5 metres (123 ft) above sea level. It emits a white and red isophase light with a period of 4 seconds. The light has an intensity of 850,000 candela and it can be seen for about 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi). A secondary light is located at an elevation of 29 metres (95 ft) above sea level and that emits a red light, occulting in groups of two. [1][2]

History

The original octagonal-shaped lighthouse was built on this site in 1877. During World War II, the island and lighthouse were occupied by German forces. Allied aircraft bombed the lighthouse on two occasions, 25 July and 1 August 1940, and caused considerable damage. From 1949 to 1950, a new square light tower, a new keeper's house, and a new surrounding, protective, bulkhead were built.[3]

The lighthouse was automated in 1987 and in 2002 the lighthouse keeper position was eliminated and the lighthouse is now controlled electronically from the mainland. In January 2005, a severe storm breached the bulkhead wall and destroyed the keeper's house. After the keeper's house was repaired its ownership was transferred to the local Austevoll municipality. A hotel now operates the facility as a dependency.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Rowlett, Russ (19 July 2011). "Lighthouses of Norway: Leirvik Area". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2014-12-31.
  2. ↑ Kystverket (2014). Norske Fyrliste 2014 (PDF) (in Norwegian). ISBN 9788245015959.
  3. ↑ Aaroe, Ane F. (June 2005). "The Marstein Lighthouse - at the edge of the world.". Lighthouse Digest. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
  4. ↑ Norske Fyrhistorisk Forening. "Marstein fyrstasjon" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2014-12-31.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, January 01, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.