Kvitsøy Lighthouse Explained

Kvitsøy Lighthouse
Location:Rogaland
Norway
Coordinates:59.062°N 5.4002°W
Yearbuilt:1700 (first)
Yearlit:1829 (current)
Automated:1969
Construction:stone tower
Shape:octagonal tower with balcony and lantern
Marking:white tower, red lantern
Lens:2nd order Fresnel lens
Intensity:909,000 Candela
Range:18.5nmi
Characteristic:Fl (4) W 40s.
Managingagent:Kvitsøy municipality

Kvitsøy Lighthouse (Norwegian: Kvitsøy fyr) is a coastal lighthouse and heritage building in the municipality of Kvitsøy in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located on the west side of the village of Ydstebøhamn on the island of Kvitsøy. The lighthouse marks the entrance to the huge Boknafjorden, the main shipping route to the city of Stavanger, and inland Rogaland county. The first lighthouse at the site was established in 1700, and the present lighthouse was built in 1829. The lighthouse was automated in 1969, and has been a protected historic building since 1998.[1]

The 1829 tower

The 1829 lighthouse was in height. The tower was extended by in 1859 and it gained another in height when a first order lens was installed in 1910. The present 27m (89feet) tall lighthouse is an octagonal stone tower. There is a 2nd order Fresnel lens at the top of the tower. The building is painted white, with the lantern on the top painted red. Today, the light sits at an elevation of above sea level. The light emits four white flashes every 40 seconds.[2] [3]

The lighthouse was automated and depopulated in 1969, and has been preserved as a protected historic building. Kvitsøy Lighthouse is the oldest stone tower lighthouse still in operation in Norway.[4]

The 1700 light

The first construction from 1700 was a pivotal "bucket light" fuelled by coal, which could be lifted about six metres above the ground.[5] The lamp was lit from 20 August to 20 March during the night. The bucket contained of coal, and the annual consumption was about . The operation of the light was funded by a toll system for ships passing Kvitsøy. A replica model of the bucket light from 1700 was installed in 2005 near the current lighthouse.[6]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: Kvitsøy fyr . Store norske leksikon. Henriksen, Petter. Kunnskapsforlaget. Oslo. Norwegian. 1 October 2011.
  2. 19 July 2011. 2015-12-03.
  3. Book: Norwegian Coastal Administration

    . 2014. Norske Fyrliste 2014. PDF. Kystverket. Norwegian Coastal Administration. Norwegian. 9788245015959. 2015-12-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143229/http://153.44.6.20/fyrlister/Fyrliste_HeleLandet.pdf. 2018-06-12. dead.

  4. Web site: Kvitsøy fyrstasjon . Norsk fyrhistorisk forening . Norwegian . 4 December 2015 .
  5. Web site: Kvitsøy fyr . Kvitsøy kommune . Norwegian . 4 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170527144742/http://www.kvitsoy.kommune.no/Om-Kvitsoy/Serverdigheter/Kvitsoy-fyr/ . 27 May 2017 . dead .
  6. News: Kvitsøy får nytt vippefyr . Stavanger Aftenblad . Norwegian . 2 June 2005 . Tor Inge . Jøssang . 4 December 2015 . 8 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151208123921/http://www.aftenbladet.no/nyheter/lokalt/Kvitsoy-far-nytt-vippefyr-2598519.html . dead .