Pansio lighthouse, Aerial lighthouse in Paakarla, Turku, Finland.
The Pansio is an aerial lighthouse that stands 59 meters (194 feet) above sea level in the Paakarla area. The structure guides air traffic near Turku Airport and remains visible from various points around the locality.
Built in 1930, it was conceived as part of a wider plan to light air routes between Helsinki and Stockholm with navigation aids. The full network never came to completion, leaving this tower as an isolated marker in Finland's early aviation history.
The lighthouse represents how Finland invested in aviation when it was still new, showing the country's faith in air travel as a future transport system. Standing above the city, it became a symbol of Turku's role in developing the nation's aerial routes.
The lighthouse can be viewed from several vantage points in Paakarla without special preparation or equipment. Morning or late afternoon visits offer better visibility due to favorable lighting angles.
In 2017, the tower received an unexpected upgrade with light art installed at its peak. This contemporary artistic intervention transformed the structure into something that bridges aviation history with modern creative expression, changing how it appears after dark.
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