The Branntårnet is one of Risør's most famous viewpoints. From here, you get a great overview of the town, the harbor, and the archipelago beyond.

The tower was erected in the 1880s, as a warning center for the city. The background for this was the great city fire of 1861, when 248 houses burned down – roughly four-fifths of the city. The fire showed how vulnerable a dense wooden city could be, and how important it was to detect fires early.

From Branntårnet, two men kept night watch. They had a view over both land and water, and their task was to look out for smoke, flames, or other signs of fire. The arrangement was in use until the late 1960s, before the new fire station at Frydendal took over the function in 1968.

Every Wednesday at 1 PM, the siren in the tower was tested. The old switchboard still hangs on the wall as a cultural artifact.

Today, the Branntårnet is primarily a viewpoint and a cultural-historical monument. In the summer, the building is also used as a gallery.

The Branntårnet still has a connection to the fire safety of Risør. Previously, two men were on night watch here, scanning for smoke and flames. Today, heat-seeking cameras are used to detect fires early in the dense wooden housing.