The Lyökki Island daymark is Finland’s oldest beacon
The island of Lyökki is located off the coast of Uusikaupunki City, along an ancient archipelago route between Turku and Ostrobothnia, from which trade routes led to the Bay of Bothnia and Sweden alike.
Pilots have been working in the area since the early 18th century. Nautical navigation marks have probably existed even before the construction of this red-and-white stone daymark, known in Finnish as a pooki.
The first beacon in Finland served as an archetype
The construction of a stone daymark was first proposed in 1746. The Lyökki Daymark was built by the same man who had built Finland's first lighthouse on the island of Utö in the previous year. It is believed that the stone-built Lyökki Daymark was built based on the same construction drawings. With the help of the modern beacon on Lyökki Island, one can imagine what Finland's first lighthouse was like before it was destroyed.
Lyökki daymark.
The daymark was built using Lyökki Island’s own stone
Built from large stones quarried from Lyökki Island itself, the daymark was completed in 1757. The tower, which measured about 16 metres in height, was whitewashed to make it visible from as far away as possible. The red and white pattern was only added a little over a century later.
Even today, the daymark on Lyökki Island is easy to distinguish far out at sea, as the island is otherwise treeless, low-lying in the middle and has no other buildings.
Only a narrow staircase fits inside the tower, as the walls are up to 2.5 metres thick in places. On the highest platform are viewing ports, from which the pilots of old could gaze far over the surrounding sea areas.
The daymark or pooki was a part of a pilotage system which included the Lyökki pilot station. This station was built in the 1890s and was located about four nautical miles from the day beacon.
A view of the sea from the observation port of the Lyökki Daymark.
The stone tower withstood the turmoil and vandalism of war
During wartime periods in Finland over the centuries, beacons and nautical signs were systematically destroyed so as not to aid the enemy.
Apart from the Orrengrund Beacon in Loviisa, the Lyökki Daymark is the only 18th-century navigation mark that has been spared from destruction. This beacon is also one of the few surviving nautical navigation marks dating back to the time when Finland was under Swedish rule.
During World War I and the Finnish Civil War, the day beacon was subjected to burglary and vandalism, leading to it being thoroughly repaired in 1935.
While the exterior of the stone tower is in its original form, some of the interior structure has been renovated. The daymark is owned by the Association of Outer Islands ry (Fin. Ulkosaariyhdistys ry), under whose leadership the building being restored.
Read more about the location in Bothnian sea website. (in finnish)
Why and how is this site protected?
The daymark of Lyökki Island is Finland's oldest stone-built beacon. It is a very important monument of maritime construction history. It also has considerable value as a symbol of local maritime traditions. This unique stone daymark is protected by the Architechtural Heritage Act. Learn more about the site!
In 2009, the Finnish Heritage Agency defined the Lyökki Island Daymark and pilot station area as a nationally significant built cultural environment. It is also a Natura 2000 nature protection site and a privately owned nature reserve.
Read more about the importance of the Lyökki Island Beacon in the Finnish Heritage Agency's webpage!
Visit
Island can be reached by a private boat only. Please note that it is forbidden to go to the island during the bird-nesting period, i.e. 1.4.-30.6. Although it is allowed to visit the island and the daymark at other times of the year, visitors do so at their own initiative. There are no piers on the island.
Finnish Heritage Agency's mapservice
N: 6769692, E: 182576 (ETRS-TM35FIN)