Kvassheim Lighthouse
Kvassheim Lighthouse is one of the highlights of the Jæren Scenic Road in Southern Norway. Situated between a rocky coast and ancient pastures, the view is next to nothing. If you find yourself driving on this national tourist road, be sure to stop here!
In this article, I look into the history and importance of Kvassheim Lighthouse, plus the practical info for visiting yourself.
In this article...
The Fv44 Highway
You can reach Kvassheim Lighthouse by taking the Fv44. You can find my guide to the Fv44 by clicking the link below.
Why build a lighthouse here?
Up until the completion of the Jærbanen, the whole coast consisted of scattered farmland instead of settlements. Moreover, it was a very low populated area in Norway. Yet, the coast saw an increase in traffic in the 19th century. And the Jæren coast is notorious for shipwrecks, especially on this stretch.
Between 1843 and 1851, there were 19 shipwrecks on the coast. Jæren had a reputation for being a ship cemetery. In fact, it is said that if you want to pull apart your ship, simply leave it on the beach over the winter. When you return in spring, the waves would’ve reduced the ship to scrap.
Click here to see an image of a crew being rescued off a ship on the Kvassheim shoreline in 1896. And if you click here, you can see another ship stuck on the coast.
In 1862, the Society for Shipwreck Rescue began as a response to the high number of shipwrecks along the coast. Jæren was important to them, and lighthouses began to pop up along the coast – including Obrestad. However, these lighthouses didn’t work as well as needed. Then, in 1896, three ships sank off the coast of Kvassheim in less than a day. They’d found a good lighthouse spot.
Building Kvassheim Lighthouse
They needed a lighthouse and fog signal at Kvassheim. So, they built a lighthouse and foghorn in 1906. The fog-signal was fired every 10 minutes when there was fog, and a guy on a nearby farm was in charge of managing it. It wasn’t an immediate success; the lighthouse was weak and the fog signal didn’t work. A second lighthouse and manned fog signal were completed in 1912. However, the fog signal became electronically operated in 1916.
The layout of the complex today is from 1912. It is for a family, meaning that the family would live on site. In 1916, the staff increased with a new lighthouse keeper, who got his own home. The home is still on the site today.
WWII Use
The Jæren coast was important to the occupying German forces during the war. They thought an Allied invasion by sea was imminent and worked on securing their ‘Atlantic Wall’. The Allied invasion never happened, and today there are traces of German occupation along the coast.
Kvassheim Lighthouse was not lit during the war. Moreover, for long periods Germans lived on the property. Bunkers were built along the shore, and minefields were laid at the beaches. Near Brusand, the next town south of Kvassheim, ‘Hitler’s Teeth’, or concrete tank barriers, still stand.
Automating the Lighthouse
After the war, the lighthouse use declined. In 1956, the fog signal was replaced with a typhoon fog signal system. Since 1984, the fog signal is automatic.
Click here to see an image of the lighthouse from before 1956.
In 1990, a new automated lighthouse replaced the building. It is about 70m (320ft) west of the old building.
Present day use & visiting
Kvassheim Lighthouse underwent a major renovation in 2003. Today the Jæren Recreational Council manage the property. They use it as a museum and cafe. The cafe is in the machine house.
The lighthouse keepers home is now the museum. On the lower floor is an exhibition about rescue operations on the Jæren coast. The second floor has an exhibition about the wetlands. In total there are 23 protected wetlands nearby. In the garden is a free exhibition about the sinking of a Russian navy vessel – there’s a memorial in the nearby Varhaug Cemetery.
Lastly, it’s possible to rent the lighthouse overnight to sleep. The assistant’s home and outbuilding are rehabilitated into cozy, unique accommodation! Information about renting is only available in Norwegian, and it can be found here.
The museum is open in the summer months, and the cafe is open more regularly. Click here for info on visiting the centre (in Norwegian).
It is, of course, possible to visit the lighthouse all year round from the outside. There is a large parking facility and walking trails in the surrounding area.
The Fv44 Highway
You can reach Kvassheim Lighthouse by taking the Fv44. You can find my guide to the Fv44 by clicking the link below.
