Märket Lighthouse
A lighthouse on a rock split between Finland and Sweden by a zigzag border.
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Märket is a bare skerry of about three hectares in the middle of the Sea of Åland, split between Finland and Sweden, and in 1885 the Russians built a lighthouse on it, accidentally on the Swedish side. The border was redrawn in 1985 in an S-shape that puts the lighthouse in Finland while keeping the land areas equal, which makes it one of the strangest borders anywhere. Nobody lives there.
What you actually see
- The zigzag border - an S-shaped line drawn to fix an 1885 building error.
- The lighthouse - the Russian-built tower now on the Finnish side.
- The bare skerry - around three hectares of rock with nothing else on it.
- The two countries - a border running through a single small rock.
When to go
June to August is the only realistic window and calm conditions are essential. Swell makes landing impossible most days. Trips are cancelled at short notice.
Honest expectations
Landing is genuinely difficult and possible only in flat calm; most attempts are called off. There is no scheduled service and trips must be arranged privately. There is nothing on the rock beyond the lighthouse.
Nearby
Eckerö is southeast, and the Swedish coast is west.
What to pack for Märket Lighthouse
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
