Establishment of the lighthouse
Already in the early 19th century it was proposed that Marstein should be daymarked, and in 1838 a cairn with a cross on it was erected. As steamships took over for sailing ships traffic increased, and in 1868 Bergen Skipperforening sent a formal petition that lighthouses had to be established. Money was then appropriated and the works were started in 1875. The lighthouse was completed in 1877, and on October 1 of that year the lighthouse was lit for the first time. In 1888, the brightness was amplified at the request of Bergen Skipperforening, and in 1915 the lighthouse was equipped with a nautophone for emission of fog signal.
Marsteinen Lighthouse has been an important guide in Western Norway since 1877, strategically located on an islet facing the big sea at the entrance to the Korsfjorden. The lighthouse marks the first landmark for ships heading to Bergen from the south, and is located in one of Norway's most weather-prone areas. Even in calmer weather, the waves can be so powerful that they wash over all levels of the island.
The lighthouse keepers who guarded the light on the Marstein lived in demanding conditions. One example is how their boats had to be hoisted up by crane and rolled into the sturdy concrete shed of 1913, after earlier wooden structures were washed away by the sea. Over the years, five piers have been lost to the forces of the sea and they now lie on the seabed 40 metres underwater. Not far from the lighthouse lies the wreck of the steamship “Siggen”, which went ashore in 1892. The wreck is today a popular target for divers.
The lighthouse keepers and their families adapted to the harsh weather, with spruce bushes never growing taller than two metres due to the extreme weather conditions. The lighthouse keeper's children even learned to swim in a small pond on the island. Life at the lighthouse was marked by the storms that ravaged the island. The sea could punch through a ravine on the island during a storm, and concrete remnants of the old lighthouse, damaged during bombing in World War II, still lie scattered across the island.
Before the war, entire families lived on the lighthouse, and they had to be self-reliant for extended periods during the winter when the weather hampered supplies. The lighthouse keeper's pig, who one November day was rescued from the ravages of the storm and taken into the house, was being served as Christmas dinner when the pig house was washed away. After the war, the lighthouse was automated, and the lifestyle changed for the lighthouse keepers. Many who grew up on the lighthouse still have fond memories of the summers they spent here.
During World War II, Marsteinen Lighthouse was quickly taken over by German forces, who recognized the lighthouse's strategic location as the westernmost point around Bergen. The island was an important post for alerting English ships and aircraft. The war left its traces, with several skirmishes and bombing damaging the original lighthouse, which eventually led to it having to be demolished.
At most, 43 men were stationed on the island. They built gun emplacements and installed anti-aircraft guns that shot down at least one British aircraft during the course of the war.
The Germans had confiscated a British trawler which they used for practical purposes in connection with the operations on the lighthouse, which sank after running aground on Ivarsflua located between Litle Marstein and Stora Kalsøy.
The dramatic story on Marsteinen took a new turn in 2005 when an enormous wave, probably a so-called “Rogue Wave,” hit the lighthouse during Hurricane Inga. The wave shattered the old breakwater wall and caused heavy damage to the lighthouse keeper's residence, but fortunately the lighthouse was de-staffed at this time.Today the Marsteinen Lighthouse stands restored and accessible to visitors, following efforts by local forces and contributions from Austevoll municipality. The lighthouse has been converted into a place for accommodation and gatherings, where visitors can experience the rich history and dramatic nature of the place.The origin of the name Marstein is uncertain, but it is believed that it is derived from the phrase markstein meaning boundary stone.
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