Slettnes fyr (Slettnes Light Station)
Description
Slettnes
The very northernmost light station on the European mainland is Slettnes Light Station in the municipality of Gamvik in Finnmark. The tall lighthouse is visible from far afield in the flat, barren landscape and since 1905 it has made the voyage safer for the seafarers along this treacherous coast. The lighthouse keepers’ cottages were next to it in a cluster of buildings forming an open courtyard.
Slettnes Light Station was blown up during the occupying forces' retreat in the autumn of 1944. However, the lighthouse was not completely demolished as 10 rings of the cast iron lighthouse were unscathed. In 1948 it was repaired and even extended upwards to 39m. To get to the top there are nine flights of stairs with a total of 139 steps. The lighthouse is the fifth tallest in Norway and the only cast iron lighthouse in Finnmark. As well as rebuilding the lighthouse new keepers' cottages, outbuildings, machine shed, boathouse and landing place were built during the period from 1945 to 1948. The scale and shape of the lighthouse and the other buildings contrast dramatically, and the domestic buildings, the machine shed, outbuildings and the lighthouse form an open courtyard. The four-berth boathouse is situated to the east of the other buildings and as close as possible to the sea. At that time the light station could only be reached by boat.
Slettnes Light Station was designed by the architects G. Blakstad and H. Munthe-Kaas who were also in charge of the reconstruction of the other light stations in Finnmark.
Slettnes Light Station was blown up during the occupying forces' retreat in the autumn of 1944. However, the lighthouse was not completely demolished as 10 rings of the cast iron lighthouse were unscathed. In 1948 it was repaired and even extended upwards to 39m. To get to the top there are nine flights of stairs with a total of 139 steps. The lighthouse is the fifth tallest in Norway and the only cast iron lighthouse in Finnmark. As well as rebuilding the lighthouse new keepers' cottages, outbuildings, machine shed, boathouse and landing place were built during the period from 1945 to 1948. The scale and shape of the lighthouse and the other buildings contrast dramatically, and the domestic buildings, the machine shed, outbuildings and the lighthouse form an open courtyard. The four-berth boathouse is situated to the east of the other buildings and as close as possible to the sea. At that time the light station could only be reached by boat.
Slettnes Light Station was designed by the architects G. Blakstad and H. Munthe-Kaas who were also in charge of the reconstruction of the other light stations in Finnmark.
Year of construction
1903-1948
Architect
Gudolf Blakstad og Herman Munthe-Kaas arkitekter MNAL
Client
The The Norwegian Coastal Administration
Building Type
Light station
lighthouse
lighthouse keepers cottage
residence
Construction System / Materials
Cast iron
concrete
wood
Literature
Riksantikvaren: Norske fyr, Nasjonal verneplan for fyrstasjoner, RA-rapport nr 24, 1997.
Unstad, Inger: Med Østhavet som nærmeste nabo / Fotefar mot nord, Gamvik kommune
Unstad, Inger: Med Østhavet som nærmeste nabo / Fotefar mot nord, Gamvik kommune
Map
