In the 19th century there had been many complaints from sea authorities that the coastlines on Gotland had very few lighthouses.

So the decision was made to build one on the north side of Gotland.

This lighthouse was constructed one year after the one on Hoburgen at the south tip of Gotland.

[citation needed] The light ran on a colza oil lamp at first.

From 1891 to 1976 the tower had a first-order Fresnel lens installed in its lantern[1] which made the lighthouse very powerful.