The Suurupi Lower Lighthouse is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, on the northern shore of the Suurupi Peninsula. The pair consists of the Suurupi Lower and Upper lighthouses, situated approximately 2.245 kilometers apart. This pair of lighthouses serves as a navigational aid for ships departing from Tallinn Bay heading westward, between the Naissaare Island and Vahemadal Shoal. The need for constructing the lighthouse was first raised in 1856 when a report on the post-Crimean War Baltic Sea navigation conditions and lighthouses mentioned the desire of many captains to see an additional small lighthouse on the Suurupi Peninsula. A wooden, 11-meter-high four-sided pyramidal lighthouse with a sloping roof was completed in 1859. In 1860, a narrow sector light IV-order dioptric apparatus was installed, displaying a safe ship route between the Naissaare South Shoal and Vahemadal. The light was positioned 15 meters above sea level and was visible up to 8 miles away. An inspector's residence, a granary, and a well were constructed near the lighthouse. In 1863, external finishing touches were made - the eastern front wall was painted white, while the sides and rear wall were painted yellow, and the roof was red. As early as 1885, the lighthouse required renovation - decaying structures were replaced, and an additional floor was added to the lighthouse, raising its height to 15 meters. As a result, the light extended one mile further. A petroleum depot was also added to the complex. In 1911, another wooden house was constructed. In 1931, an acetylene light apparatus was installed, and the light sector was refined.
According to Armas Luige, there were plans to replace the lighthouse with a reinforced concrete standard lighthouse in 1940, but the Soviet occupation and World War II intervened. After the war, there was a lot of work to restore the lighthouses destroyed during the war. Thanks to this, we have the only surviving wooden lighthouse from the mid-19th century in Northern Europe. In 1998, extensive restoration work was carried out - deteriorated load-bearing structures were replaced, and most of the exterior paneling was replaced. Among the service buildings that remain are the residence, the residence-sauna, and the petroleum depot.
The Suurupi Lower Lighthouse is among the 100 most valuable historical lighthouses that are still operational, according to The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA). The entire complex is a national heritage site under state protection.
