Keri Lighthouse – the Stone Guardian of the Gulf of Finland

In the middle of the Gulf of Finland, six kilometers north of Prangli Island, rises a rocky speck of land – Keri Island. Barely a few hundred meters long and wide, it is home to the stout Keri Lighthouse, which has guided sailors through darkness for over 300 years. The island itself is uninhabited, yet not abandoned – here rule the sea, the wind, and the volunteers who keep the island and its lighthouse alive.

History and Architecture

The story of Keri Lighthouse began with Peter the Great, who in 1718 ordered a stone beacon to be built on the island to guide the Russian fleet. The first wooden lighthouse was completed in 1723 and, a year later, began its service with candles and oil lamps.

An Architectural Oddity – the Staircase to Nowhere

When construction of a stone tower began in 1800, it was planned as a massive column of masonry. Builders started with an imposing staircase meant to rise through the core of the tower. But soon it became clear that sailors needed light faster than stone walls could be raised. The masonry was stopped halfway, arches were added, and the rest of the tower was built in wood.

Since then, a staircase inside the lighthouse ends abruptly – a curious architectural remnant that leads nowhere, yet gives Keri its unique character.

The lighthouse received its current form in 1858, when the wooden structure was replaced with a cast-iron tower made in St. Petersburg, crowned with a lantern room manufactured in Paris.

Although architecturally impressive, the tower has also been fragile. Its northern wall collapsed in 1990, and by the turn of the millennium the whole building was at risk. Only in 2021 did Keri secure funding for restoration, and since the spring of 2024 the lighthouse is once again open to visitors.

People and Life on the Island

Through the centuries, only border guards and lighthouse keepers families lived on Keri. The last permanent keeper left in 2002, leaving the island without inhabitants. But soon, those enchanted by the solitude and stories of Keri stepped in.

This was the birth of the Keri Society – a volunteer group that has kept the island alive for more than 20 years. During the navigation season, visitors are welcomed by volunteer keepers, who spend a week at a time living on the island, greeting guests and sharing its tales. To stay here is to live on a rocky outcrop where time flows in a different rhythm.

Fascinating Facts from Keri Island

• The world’s first gas-powered lighthouse – Natural gas was discovered on Keri in 1906, and until 1912 the lighthouse ran on it. The very first gas stove in Estonia was also lit here.

• The foghorn – In the late 19th century, the lighthouse was equipped with a powerful foghorn, whose voice could be heard even in the 1970s–80s. Its control panel and rhythm machine still remain.

• Scars of war – The tower still bears bullet holes and shell marks from wartime bombardments.

• The cherry grove – Despite the rocky ground, a small grove of wild cherry trees grows on the island – an unexpected and poetic sight in the middle of the sea.

  
  

Today

Keri Lighthouse now flashes with modern LED technology: 13 seconds dark, 2 seconds bright – visible up to 11 nautical miles. It remains both a beacon of maritime safety and a treasured part of cultural heritage.

Keri Island is special – uninhabited, yet full of stories. A place where time stands still and the sea itself speaks. The work of volunteer lighthouse keepers ensures that the tower endures and that visitors can still feel its unique atmosphere.

The Island and the Simple Things

In the middle of the sea, with only wind and waves around, simple things gain immense value.

When stripped of daily noise, what matters most are the basics – warm water, light, a knife, a dish, a small mirror. On a lonely island, you realize that life is held together by the simplest of tools.

To survive on an island, one doesn’t need grandeur. An old enamel soap dish, a washing bowl, or a sturdy mug is precious in its simplicity. These same objects, used centuries ago, still speak to us today.

That is why at TallinnVintage we have gathered items that carry the same timeless spirit:

• Enamel soap dishes and wash basins – as if straight from a lighthouse keeper’s room.

• A ceramic cutting board with a marine motif – recalling seaside meals where bread and fish were the staples.

• Enamelware and mugs – sturdy, spotted, white and practical, ready for a hike or a quiet morning on the terrace.

  
  

Would you dare spend a week alone on such an island?