Thridrangar Lighthouse is probably one of the most impressive lighthouses in the world. Its desolate and rugged coastal location will take your breath away!
Thridrangar Lighthouse is probably the most remote lighthouse in the world and certainly the most dangerous to reach. Icelanders call it Þrídrangaviti, which means ‘three rock pillars lighthouse’. Thridrangar Lighthouse in Southern Iceland stands on the highest sea stack, visible from nine nautical miles, and is 110 feet above sea level.
It’s one of the most inaccessible places in the country and occupies a breathtaking spot on a clifftop, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Constructed pre-WWII, the þridrangar Lighthouse materials were airlifted and manually ᴀssembled by crews on the cliff to improve maritime safety.
Read on to learn more about this fascinating place!
Where to find Thridrangar Lighthouse
Thridrangar Lighthouse is located in the Westman Islands of Iceland, locally known as Vestmannaeyjar. This collection of islands sits off Iceland’s south coast. The lighthouse itself is perched on a 34-meter (120 feet) high basalt stack about 6 miles offshore, pounded by the waves of the Atlantic. A 2017 article in the Iceland Monitor pondered whether it might be ‘the most isolated lighthouse in the world’.
How to get to Thridrangar Lighthouse
Because of its isolated location, Þrídrangaviti can only be accessed by helicopter. There’s a helipad beside the lighthouse, on which the maintenance team can land when they need to. But there are no guardrails and a strong gust could send someone into the cold Atlantic. Fortunately, the lighthouse is automated, and in recent years solar panels have been installed to power the light.
Thridrangar Lighthouse was built in 1938 and back then everything had to be brought in by boat. Because of the high waves, delivering building materials was very dangerous: the ground was wet and slippery; strong winds and heavy rainfall battered workers. The construction team camped on the rock in between shifts but even so it still took three years to finish.
Is it possible to visit Thridrangar?
Because of its isolated location, it is not possible to visit Thridrangar Lighthouse as a tourist. You can, however, view it virtually in a fantastic way, with the FlyOver Iceland experience. This is a virtual tour of Iceland, with a wraparound screen and special effects. The scene of a simulated rescue mission from Þrídrangaviti is just one of many places this thrilling journey will take you.
In February 2021, a blues rock band from Iceland called Kaleo recorded a video for their single ‘Break My Baby’ on Þrídrangaviti’s helipad. This single is taken from their album ‘Surface Sounds’, and the video can be viewed. Kaleo has a history of recording videos in stunning locations, including inside a volcano and on top of a glacier.
