Name and Location

Grótta Lighthouse, also known as Gróttuviti, is an active coastal beacon located in Seltjarnarnesbær municipality, Iceland. It sits on the outer tip of the Grótta peninsula in Faxaflói Bay, serving as a landmark within the protected Grótta nature reserve.

Construction and History

The lighthouse's construction era and materials are not documented in available sources. However, it is likely that it was built using masonry or reinforced concrete typical of early-to-mid 20th-century Icelandic lighthouses.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse is a freestanding white tower with a height of 24 meters and 10 levels. Its exterior is plain white, with no specific markings.

Light and Navigation

Gróttuviti emits a group of three flashes every 20 seconds. The light is divided into four coloured sectors to warn mariners of shallow shoals and safe channels:

• * Sector 1 (025°–067°): Fl(3) green, range 13 nmi
• * Sector 2 (067°–217°): Fl(3) white, range 15 nmi
• * Sector 3 (217°–281°): Fl(3) red, range 13 nmi
• * Sector 4 (281°–294°): Fl(3) green, range 13 nmi

The Admiralty / NGA reference is L 4501.

Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can reach the lighthouse on foot via a natural sandbar that connects the peninsula to the mainland at low tide. The walk from the nearest parking area on Ónefndur Vegur is approximately 1.5 km each way. Tidal caution: the causeway is submerged at high tide; check local tide tables before crossing.

Notable Views and Landscape

The Grótta peninsula is a designated nature reserve known for seabird nesting (eider ducks, Arctic terns) and seal haul-outs. The flat lava field and tidal flats offer panoramic views of Reykjavík city, Mount Esja, and the open bay. At dusk and in winter months, the site is popular for Northern Lights photography.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is automated, with no on-site keeper since the mid-20th century. Tower access is closed to the public; mounted optics and machinery are not open for visits. The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation.

Further Information

For more information, please visit the Icelandic Maritime Administration (Siglingastofnun Íslands) or OpenStreetMap.