Solid church in granite built inside the medieval town walls. Work began in 1488 under the guidance of Biscay master Tomé de Tolosa, and using parts of a primitive Romanesque chapel (remains are visible in the north side); it pursued slowly, until the completion of the tower of the main façade in 1556. Important architects involved in the construction include João de Tolosa and Pero Galego. Inside, the building is a basilica with main nave and two aisles, and is notable for its inlaid ceiling (1565) showing oriental influences. The Mareantes Chapel, built by the corporation of seafarers, is one of the earliest renaissance works in Portugal. The church was classified as a National Monument on June 16, 1910.
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.