Leuchttürme in Suðurnes

Iconic Icelandic Lighthouses

Explore the maritime heritage of Iceland's Southern Peninsula through its historic coastal beacons. This collection includes Iceland's oldest lighthouse, Reykjanesviti, and the shipwreck-surrounded Hópsnesviti near Grindavík. These structures, ranging from the bright yellow tower at Stafnes to the red-capped beacon at Vatnsnes, serve as vital navigation aids for the busy shipping lanes toward Reykjavík and Keflavík, standing against the rugged volcanic landscape of the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark.

Iconic Icelandic Lighthouses — Karte

A

Reykjanesviti

Iceland's oldest lighthouse station, built in 1907-1908 to replace an earlier structure destroyed by an earthquake. The 26-meter-tall concrete tower stands on Bæjarfell hill, serving as a primary landfall light for the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0

B

Hópsnes Lighthouse

A vibrant orange concrete lighthouse built in 1928 on the Hópsnes peninsula. The surrounding lava field features several preserved shipwrecks with educational plaques detailing the region's maritime history and rescue efforts.

C

Stafnes

A distinctive 8-meter-tall yellow concrete lighthouse established in 1925. It marks the western tip of the Reykjanes Peninsula, a site historically significant for its proximity to dangerous fishing grounds and numerous historic shipwrecks.

Bjorn.thorvaldsson.is / CC BY-SA 4.0

D

Reykjanesviti

Reykjanesviti is Iceland's oldest lighthouse, located at Reykjanestá. It serves as a landfall light for Reykjavík and Keflavík.

E

Vatnsnes

An 8-meter-tall square concrete lighthouse located near Keflavík. Originally established in 1921 and rebuilt in 1946, it features a white tower topped with a red lantern house, guiding vessels along the northern coast of the peninsula.