Långe Erik, Coastal lighthouse in Byxelkrok, Sweden
Långe Erik is a whitewashed, 32-metre cylindrical lighthouse built of limestone on the small island of Stora Grundet in Grankullaviken bay, at the north point of Öland. It is connected to Öland by a small bridge built in 1965. The former lighthouse keeper's house stands next to the tower, with a few buildings from the 1900s nearby.
Långe Erik was completed in 1845, designed by H. Byström and built by Jonas Jonsson. In 1906 a clockwork-driven rotating Barbier Bernard lens replaced the earlier equipment, and the site was electrified in the 1940s. The lighthouse was fully automated in 1976 and became a state building monument on 25 January 1935.
The name "Långe Erik" (Tall Erik) is of unknown origin; it is thought to have been formed by analogy with "Långe Jan", the lighthouse at Öland's southern tip. The tower is a state-listed building monument since 25 January 1935.
The tower is open to visitors during the summer months, with tickets available at the visitor center. The surrounding grounds are easy to explore, and the path to the tower is clearly marked.
The original large lens, made by Barbier Bernard, was replaced in 1906 by a clockwork-driven rotating lens; the old weight-driven mechanism still stands inside the tower. Since the 1990s the large lens has been out of service and covered by a protective hood, and a small light on the balcony railing now does the work.
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