Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Iceland Þrídrangaviti Lighthouse

Þrídrangaviti Lighthouse

A lonely beacon, precariously perched atop a remote sliver of rock.

Iceland

Added By
Kerry Wolfe
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The lonely lighthouse stands in isolation atop the rock pillar.   Arctic Images/Alamy
The lighthouse and pillars, many miles from civilization.   voilier.evidence@gmail.com/CC BY 3.0
The lighthouse, as viewed from a plane.   Instagram User @eydiseyjolfs/Used with Permission
The lighthouse, perched upon the craggy pillar.   Greipur Gísli Sigurðsson
Þrídrangaviti looks like a tiny speck of white settled atop a cliff.   Steve Fernie/Used with Permission
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

A cluster of slender rock pillars jut out from the ocean’s surface like fingers stretching toward the sky, miles away from civilization. From a distance, it looks like a colorful speck has settled atop the largest one. Look closer, and you’ll see it’s a tiny red-roofed lighthouse, perhaps one of the loneliest in the world.

The whitewashed lighthouse is perched atop the tallest of the rocky cliffs, which stretches an impressive 120 feet upward. It’s off the coast of the Westman Islands, which themselves are about 4.5 miles from mainland Iceland. Because of its isolation, some on the internet have jokingly dubbed the beacon a haven for introverts.

The remote lighthouse was built right before the dawn of World War II. Constructing this lonely lighthouse was no easy task, as helicopters had yet to take to the skies when the work began in 1938. Builders scaled the cliffs to reach the pillar’s pinnacle, laying out the groundwork by hand. They faced slick rocks, rain, and fervent winds knowing that one slip could send them plunging into the frigid North Atlantic Ocean that thrashed and splashed below.

Now, thanks to advances in aviation, maintenance workers can take a helicopter to the far-flung beacon. Yet even still, visiting the Þrídrangaviti lighthouse is a daunting endeavor. One wrong step, and any unsuspecting explorers just may find themselves going for an unplanned swim with the killer whales that sometimes lurk within the waves.

Related Tags

Lighthouses Cliffs Islands

Know Before You Go

The Þrídrangaviti lighthouse is also known by variations of this name, such as Thridrangaviti or Thridrangar.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Iceland in Summer: Journey through the South Coast & the Westman Islands

Explore Iceland's Myths, Wonders, & Landscapes.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Kerry Wolfe

Published

March 7, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.facebook.com/TridrangarLighthouse/
  • https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/nature_and_travel/2017/05/15/incredible_location_for_a_lighthouse_perched_on_a_r/
  • http://www.messynessychic.com/2017/12/14/lonely-lighthouse-perfect-for-surviving-the-zombie-apocalypse/
  • https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/themes/adventure/81904474/would-you-spend-a-night-in-this-lighthouse-in-iceland
Þrídrangaviti Lighthouse
Iceland
63.488763, -20.513225

Nearby Places

Halldórsskora (Elephant Rock)

Heimaey, Iceland

miles away

Eldheimar Museum

Heimaey, Iceland

miles away

Volcanic Island of Heimaey

Heimaey, Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iceland

Iceland

Europe

Places 149
Stories 41

Nearby Places

Halldórsskora (Elephant Rock)

Heimaey, Iceland

miles away

Eldheimar Museum

Heimaey, Iceland

miles away

Volcanic Island of Heimaey

Heimaey, Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iceland

Iceland

Europe

Places 149
Stories 41

Related Stories and Lists

18 of the World's Loneliest Lighthouses

List

By Jonathan Carey

17 Jaw-Dropping Cliffhangers

List

By Jessica Leigh Hester

The 10 Best Places of 2018

List

By Atlas Obscura

Related Places

  • Precarious location.

    Ponta do Pargo, Portugal

    Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse

    Portugal’s highest lighthouse has one of the most impressive focal planes in the world.

  • Porphyry Point Lighthouse at the entrance to Black Bay, Lake Superior

    Thunder Bay, Ontario

    Porphyry Point Lighthouse

    Live your lighthouse keeper dreams at this unique lodging on a Canadian island.

  • Seguin Light Station, the highest off of Maine’s coast, was established in 1795.

    Phippsburg, Maine

    Seguin Island Light Station

    George Washington commissioned this centuries-old lighthouse off the coast of Maine.

  • In addition to over 1,300 works of art, the Monhegan Museum shares its location with a historic lighthouse.

    Monhegan, Maine

    Monhegan Museum of Art & History

    This remote museum highlights the island’s impressive creative legacy.

  • Green Island, Taiwan

    Green Island Lighthouse

    An American lighthouse stands on an island cliffside in Taiwan.

  • Escalier du roi d’Aragon

    Bonifacio, France

    Escalier du roi d'Aragon (King of Aragon’s Stairs)

    A breathtakingly steep set of stairs is carved directly into the face of the sea cliffs of Bonifacio.

  • Isle of Anglesey, Wales

    South Stack Lighthouse

    The lighthouse is on a island which is connected to another island, which is connected to another island, which is connected to one of the largest islands in the world.

  • An aerial view of Inishtrahull lighthouse on Inishtrahull Island.

    County Donegal, Ireland

    Inishtrahull

    Ireland's most northerly island is hauntingly beautiful. Its lighthouse was the last glimpse of home for many Irish emigrants bound for the U.S.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.