Vinga Lighthouse ( sv, Vinga fyr), is a

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

on Vinga island. The present-day lighthouse was built in 1890, although Vinga has been a significant island for mariners long before that. This lighthouse is the third built on the island. It is one of Sweden's most noted lighthouses and a special symbol for the city of

Gothenburg Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...

History

The first tower was built in 1841, it was the first Swedish lighthouse with

lens A lens is a transmissive optical device which focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements''), ...

. A second was built in 1854 to make Vinga a "double light", since there had been complaints that it was hard to tell the difference between the lighthouse in

Skagen Skagen () is Denmark's northernmost town, on the east coast of the Skagen Odde peninsula in the far north of Jutland, part of Frederikshavn Municipality in Nordjylland, north of Frederikshavn and northeast of Aalborg. The Port of Skagen is ...

, Denmark, and Vinga, Sweden, from afar. The flame ran on

colza oil Close-up of canola blooms Canola flower Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, i ...

. In the 1880s the need for a better and higher lighthouse was urgent and in 1890 the new lighthouse was built, it ran on

paraffin Paraffin may refer to: Substances * Paraffin wax, a white or colorless soft solid that is used as a lubricant and for other applications * Liquid paraffin (drug), a very highly refined mineral oil used in cosmetics and for medical purposes * Alkane ...

. The lantern on the second lighthouse was removed and it was transformed into a

watchtower A watchtower or watch tower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to ...

(the red and gray short tower on the picture). The first lighthouse was demolished and only the foundation remains. In 1948, the tower was electrified and in 1974, it was automated. It is now remote controlled by the

Swedish Maritime Administration The Swedish Maritime Administration ( sv, Sjöfartsverket) is the government agency in Sweden which provides services to the transport sector by keeping the sea lanes open and safe. The agency is to a certain degree financed through fees levied o ...

, who wanted to deactivate the lighthouse in 2007 since the commercial shipping did not need it anymore. The proposition met with heavy opposition and the tower is still active. The Vinga station also has a distinctive red pyramid, a

day beacon A day beacon (sometimes "daybeacon") is an unlighted nautical sea mark. A signboard identifying it is called a day mark. Day beacons typically mark channels whose key points are marked by lighted buoys. They may also mark smaller navigable route ...

, adjacent to the tower. It was built in 1857.

Cultural significance

Today, Vinga lighthouse is a popular

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural b ...

, and during summer there are often guided tours on the island. The Swedish poet and musician

Evert Taube Axel Evert Taube (; 12 March 1890 – 31 January 1976) was a Swedish author, artist, composer and singer. He is widely regarded as one of Sweden's most respected musicians and the foremost troubadour of the Swedish ballad tradition in the 20th c ...

was the son of one of the light keepers. Being born the same year (1890) the third lighthouse was built, he spent his childhood there. The light shining from Vinga lighthouse is also mentioned in the song '' Dans på Brännö brygga''.

References

External links

Sjofartsverket

{{Authority control Lighthouses completed in 1890 Buildings and structures in Gothenburg Lighthouses in Sweden Tourist attractions in Gothenburg Southern Gothenburg Archipelago

History

Cultural significance

See also

References

External links