Stavernsodden Lighthouse

Stavernsodden Lighthouse (Stavernsodden fyr) is a coastal lighthouse at the southern tip of Stavernsøya, just off the town of Stavern in Larvik Municipality, Vestfold, Norway. It marks the entrance to the Larviksfjorden and is one of the best-known landmarks of the Vestfold coast.

Where is Stavernsodden Lighthouse?

The station stands on the outer edge of Stavernsøya, the island that shelters Stavern harbour. Its coordinates are roughly 58.9875° N, 10.0522° E. The setting is typical of the Oslofjord coast: smooth rock, low vegetation and open water to the south. It is a coastal beacon, so the point where it stands is exposed and bright, not hidden in a sheltered cove.

What is the history of the lighthouse?

Stavern owes its existence to the naval base of Fredriksvern, and the approach to the base needed a light long before the present station existed. From around 1750 a tilting light on Kikut, on the northern part of Stavernsøya, guided ships towards the yard. In 1848 the Storting granted money for a better entrance light at the southern end of the island, and the new station at Stavernsodden dates from the 1850s. The year 1855 is the date most often given for the first light.

The first facilities were modest: a small guardhouse and the lantern. As the guardhouse became too cramped, a keeper's dwelling built of dressed granite was added in 1874. Keepers' families lived in the stone house until a wooden residence was built in 1954. Together these buildings show how a Norwegian lighthouse worked as a small community, with the keeper's family living beside the light.

From keeper to automation

The lighthouse was automated in 1984, which ended the era of resident keepers. The station did not fall silent, however. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute used the buildings after the light was unmanned, partly as a holiday home, until 2008. The lighthouse still works as an aid to navigation, showing its light to vessels passing the mouth of the Larviksfjorden.

Protection and the friends' association

In 1997 the lighthouse was listed as a protected site, together with the keeper's houses and outbuildings. This means the historic fabric of the station is meant to be preserved, not modernised away. Since 2008 a friends' association has leased the station from the Norwegian Coastal Administration and runs it as a visitor lighthouse. Opening times and events are set by the association, so check its current information before you plan a trip.

What is there to see nearby?

Stavern is a former naval town with a well-kept centre of wooden houses, a harbour and the remains of the Fredriksvern fortifications. The lighthouse fits naturally into a day on foot around Stavernsøya: the old naval history, the coastal views and the lighthouse itself make a compact itinerary. Bring sturdy shoes and a windproof layer, because the outer coast is often breezy even in summer.

Frequently asked questions

When was Stavernsodden Lighthouse built? The station was established in the 1850s, with 1855 the commonly cited year of the first light. The granite keeper's house followed in 1874.

Is the lighthouse still in use? Yes. It was automated in 1984 and continues to serve as a navigation light at the entrance to the Larviksfjorden.

Is it protected? Yes. It has been a listed protected site since 1997.

Who runs it today? A friends' association leases it from the Norwegian Coastal Administration and operates it as a visitor lighthouse.

Where exactly is it? At the southern end of Stavernsøya, just off the coast of Stavern in Larvik Municipality, Vestfold.