Akraberg Lighthouse

The Akraberg Lighthouse is located on the southern tip of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands, approximately 5 kilometers south of the village of Sumba. It was built in 1909 to provide a beacon for sailors navigating the treacherous waters in the area. The lighthouse stands at 14 meters tall, with a white cylindrical tower and red lantern roof, and its focal plane is 94 meters above sea level.

The lighthouse has a unique characteristic, flashing two long signals every 20 seconds, with the color of the signal depending on direction. It also has a fog horn that can be sounded every 60 seconds if needed. The lighthouse was originally manned by a lighthouse keeper and their family, but it is now automated and requires regular maintenance. The last family to live at the lighthouse was forced to move away after a severe hurricane in 1988, and the area is now mostly uninhabited, except for tourists who occasionally rent the two houses on the site.

The Akraberg Lighthouse has an interesting history, with the surrounding waters being notorious for their unpredictability and strong currents. The lighthouse was built to help sailors navigate these treacherous waters, and it has played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of ships and boats in the area. Today, the lighthouse remains an important aid to navigation, and its unique signal is still used to guide sailors through the waters around the Faroe Islands.