Four of the world's most remote lighthouses

Lighthouses have always been built where they were needed most rather than where people wanted to live. Many stand on tiny islands, wave-battered reefs or isolated sea stacks, surrounded by vast expanses of ocean. Before automation, lighthouse keepers accepted lives of extraordinary solitude, often spending weeks or months cut off from the outside world. These five lighthouses rank among the most remote and inaccessible ever constructed.

Þrídrangaviti, Iceland

Perched atop a narrow volcanic sea stack seven kilometres off Iceland's south coast, Þrídrangaviti is arguably the world's most spectacularly inaccessible lighthouse. The rock rises almost vertically from the North Atlantic, leaving virtually no landing place. When it was built in 1942, workers first had to scale the cliff face using ropes before hauling construction materials to the summit. Today, helicopters provide almost the only practical access, making this one of the most isolated workplaces on Earth.

Stannard Rock Lighthouse, Lake Superior, USA

Known for generations as "The Loneliest Place in North America," Stannard Rock Lighthouse rises from a tiny reef almost 40 kilometres from the nearest land in Lake Superior. Despite standing on a freshwater lake, it experiences ocean-like storms, towering waves and thick winter ice. Construction took five years because crews could work only during the short summer season, and keepers were frequently stranded for weeks by severe weather.

Cape Horn Lighthouse, Chile

At the southern tip of South America lies Cape Horn Lighthouse, perched on windswept Hornos Island where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. This is one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth, famous for hurricane-force winds and some of the roughest seas ever encountered by sailors. Even today, a Chilean naval family lives at the station, maintaining a human presence at what is often called "the end of the world."

South Solitary Island Lighthouse, Australia

Located about 18 kilometres off the New South Wales coast, South Solitary Island Lighthouse was one of Australia's most isolated lighthouse stations. Although relatively close to the mainland, dangerous seas often prevented boats from landing for weeks at a time. Everything—from food and drinking water to furniture and livestock—had to be hoisted ashore by crane whenever conditions allowed. For the keepers and their families, life on the island could feel remarkably cut off from the rest of the world.