Orrengrund Lighthouse Island

The mysterious Orrengrund lighthouse island, which has been closed off for a long time, is now inviting travelers to explore its beautiful archipelago nature. Not everyone can dock at Orrengrund harbor, but you can now take a picnic trip to the island’s historic cliffs by boarding the m/v Nestor in the waters of Loviisa.

Orrengrund is located southeast of Loviisa at a significant intersection of sea routes. It is a narrow, approximately one-kilometer-long rocky island covered with coniferous forest and serves as the busiest pilot station in the eastern Gulf of Finland. The stunning archipelago nature of Orrengrund offers beautiful cliffs, sandy pine forests, and breathtaking seascapes in all directions.

Orrengrund’s maritime-historical buildings include, among others, the 23-meter-high landmark lighthouse designed by Jean Wiik and built in 1858. The landmark lighthouse, or pooki in Finnish, is an unlit lighthouse and can only be seen during daylight hours. Landmark lighthouses were built on outer islands and peninsulas to guide ships to the fairway, indicate the meeting place of the pilot, and facilitate locating the area.

In addition, the island is home to pilot stations from 1925 and 1994, as well as a beacon originally dating back to 1903. The beacon located on the western tip of the island resembles a lighthouse and consists of a granite pedestal, a concrete structure approximately 4.5 meters tall, and a cast-iron beacon house. The pilot station also has its own harbor, protected by a breakwater.

In the late 1800s, Orrengrund was staffed by a chief pilot and six pilots who guided ships to Boistö, Pellinki, Våtskäri, Loviisa, and out to sea. The island also served as a military garrison in the past and still houses coastal artillery guns. Since 1996, the island has been home to a coastguard station. Orrengrund’s maritime surveillance station was converted to remote operation in 2003, and the fortress was transformed into an unmanned watchtower.