Balduinseck Castle is located in the valley on the L 203 between the towns of Buch and Mastershausen and is freely accessible. The hilltop castle was built in the 14th century by Elector Baldwin of Luxembourg as a stronghold against the Counts of Sponheim, who resided at Kastellaun Castle. When it was built, Baldwin seems to have been particularly inspired by the French donjon type.
The castle was never destroyed but fell into ruin from the 18th century. Comprehensive renovation was completed in 2014, making the site freely accessible again. The 18-meter-high, four-story walls of the residential tower are still well preserved today. Today, Balduinseck Castle is a special highlight for many hikers.
References:Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.
German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.
After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.