Lighthouses of Italy: Campania and Lazio

Campania: Salerno Province Lighthouses

Cilento Region Lighthouses

* Sapri (Carlo Pisacane, Punta del Fortino) 1915. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 7 s. A short post light with a small lantern, mounted atop a square 1-story masonry tower with castellated gallery. Lighthouse painted red with white trim; the gallery is white. Trabas has a great photo, Ferrighi also has an excellent photo, Riccardo Pesce's photo is at right, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse serves as a memorial to Carlo Pisacane, an Italian patriot and revolutionary who was killed in Campania in 1857. Located on the Via Verdi at Punta del Fortino on the west side of the entrance to the harbor of Sapri. Parking provided. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-299; EF-2676; Admiralty E1746; NGA 9664. * Scario 1883. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); four white flashes every 12 s. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal cylindrical masonry tower with gallery, attached to the seaward side of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, another photo is available, Alberto Zuppardi has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the Via Faro on the south side of the village of Scario, about 18 km (11 mi) west of Sapri. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-079; EF-2672; Admiralty E1742; NGA 9660. * Capo Palinuro 1870. Active; focal plane 206 m (676 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal cylindrical masonry tower with gallery, rising from a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with three narrow gray-blue horizontal bands as trim. Trabas has an excellent photo, a 2008 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Capo Palinuro is a sharp and steep promontory projecting from the coast south of Palinuro. The area is rather wild, and a short hike may be needed to reach the lighthouse. Note: about 600 m (3/8 mi) west of the lighthouse is a weather station and former signal tower that is often mistaken for a second lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Parco Nazionale Cilento e Valle di Diano. ARLHS ITA-030; EF-2668; Admiralty E1740; NGA 9652. Isolotto Licosa (Isola Licosa, Punta Licosa) 1951. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Ruins of a stone keeper's house are next to the lighthouse. Trabas has a photo, a 2008 photo is available, a distant photo shows the situation of the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Isolotto Licosa is a small island just offshore from Punta Licosa, a mountainous cape projecting about 12 km (7.5 mi) into the Tyrrhenian Sea south of Agropoli. Most of the cape is included in a national park, the Parco Nazionale Cilento e Valle di Diano. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-089; EF-2664; Admiralty E1738; NGA 9636.

Faro di Sapri, August 2010 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Riccardo Pesce

* Agropoli (Punta Fortino) 1923 (?). Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and an elaborately castellated gallery, rising from a 1-story brick building. The upper portion of the tower and gallery are painted white; the rest of the building is unpainted stone; lantern is gray metallic. A photo is at right, Trabas also has an excellent photo, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a steep promontory overlooking the east side of the entrance to the harbor of Agropoli. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-185; EF-2660; Admiralty E1735; NGA 9632. Salerno Area Lighthouses #Salerno (?) Date unknown (1920s?). Inactive, probably since the 1970s; believed to have been demolished in 2010. 8.5 m (28 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view of the area. The long-abandoned lighthouse was in poor condition, and it was probably demolished in 2010 in connection with construction of a new maritime terminal. We need information about this site. Located at what was once the end of a breakwater mole, but is now the root of a much longer breakwater enclosing the modern harbor of Salerno. Site apparently open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-298. Salerno Molo di Levante Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) "bottle" style post light centered on an octagonal 1-story concrete equipment room. Lighthouse painted green. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the long east breakwater of Salerno harbor. Site status unknown. EF-2634; Admiralty E1730.2; NGA 9612. Salerno Molo di Ponente Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) "bottle" style post light centered on an octagonal 1-story concrete equipment room. Lighthouse painted red. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the long east breakwater of Salerno harbor. Site status unknown. EF-2635; Admiralty E1730.4; NGA 9616. * Capo d'Orso (2) 1882 (station established 1862). Active; focal plane 66 m (217 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 2-story stone keeper's house, with a white lantern mounted on a platform or porch in front of the house. The house is painted white with red trim. Trabas has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was much lower, with a focal plane of 25 m (82 ft). Located on a steep promontory at the western entrance to the Golfo di Salerno, just off the spectacular but challenging SS163 coastal highway about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Maiori. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-019; EF-2628; Admiralty E1722; NGA 9600.

Faro d'Agropoli, November 2007 anonymous Wikipedia Creative Commons photo

Isolotti Li Galli

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 67 m (220 ft); white flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, rising from an equipment shelter. Lighthouse painted white. No closeup photo available; Trabas has a distant photo, Farhad Vladi has an aerial photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The Isolotti Li Galli have an ancient history, as they were one of the sites where Greek sailors reported sirens, female creatures who lured sailors to their deaths on the rocks. Located on Il Gallo Lungo, the largest of the islands, off the south side of the Sorrentine Peninsula about 6.5 km (4 mi) southwest of Positano. It is possible to land on the island, but it appears to be privately owned. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-184; EF-2616; Admiralty E1716; NGA 9588.

Campania: Napoli Province Lighthouses

Isola di Capri Lighthouse

Note: The famous Isle of Capri (properly pronounced with the accent on the first syllable, not the second) is a rather small island, about 5 km (3 mi) in length, located 4 km (2.5 mi) off the end of the Sorrentine Peninsula. It has been a popular resort since Roman times. The island, part of Napoli Province, is easily accessible by ferry from Naples or Sorrento. In addition to the active Faro di Punta Carena, the ruins of what is often described as a Roman lighthouse can be seen at the Villa Jovis, a palace of the Emporer Tiberius located at the northeastern point of the island. However, from available accounts it appears that this structure was used primarily as a signal tower, sending messages to Rome via a similar tower at Capo Miseno. * Punta Carena (Capri) 1867. Active; focal plane 73 m (240 ft); white flash every 3 s. 28 m (92 ft) octagonal masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story masonry keeper's house. 2nd order (?) Fresnel lens in use. Formerly buff and white, the lighthouse has been repainted recently and is now white with red vertical stripes; the keeper's house is red with white trim. The lantern is gray metallic. 1st order Fresnel lens in use. Denis Travin's photo is at right, Rolando Canessa has a 2008 photo, Ferrighi has a photo, Trabas has a distant view by Capt. Peter Mosselberger, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Serving as a landfall light for the Gulf of Naples, this historic lighthouse is one of the most important and most powerful in Italy. It occupies a spectacular site on a ridge with mountains towering behind. Located at the end of the Via Nuova dei Faro about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Anacapri, at the southwestern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-124; EF-2612; Admiralty E1706; NGA 9572.

Faro di Punta Carena, October 2009 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Denis Travin

Sorrentine (Sorrento) Peninsula Lighthouses

Punta Campanella (4?)

Date unknown (late 1960s?). Station established 1846. Active; focal plane 65 m (213 ft); white light, 2 s on, 3 s off. 18 m (59 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. There is also a 1-story equipment shelter in the base of the tower. Tower painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has a closeup photo, another photo is available, Wikimedia has a view from the sea, Ferrighi has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Ferrighi reports that this lighthouse replaced a brick tower that was destroyed by an explosion after a gas leak in the 1960s. Earlier lighthouses were built here in 1846 and in 1888; the original lighthouse had a focal plane of 23.5 m (77 ft). The lighthouse is adjacent to the Torre Minerva, a massive square defensive tower built by Roberto il Saggio, an Angevin king of Naples, around 1300. The surrounding area was formerly a military installation, but since 1997 it has been a historic and natural preserve, the Area naturale marina protetta Punta Campanella. Located at the tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula about 3 km (2 mi) south of Marciano. There is currently no public road access to the site. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-243; EF-2593.3; Admiralty E1702;

* Castellammare di Stabia (3) Date unknown (station established before 1855). Active; focal plane 114 m (374 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 16 m (52 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, mounted atop a 3-story U-shaped building. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has an excellent closeup photo, and Google has a good satellite view. Castellammare di Stabia, at the southeastern corner of the Golfo di Napoli, is only 6 km (3.5 mi) south of Pompeii and was one of the towns destroyed by the great eruption of Vesuvius in 79 BCE. The lighthouse is located on the Strada Panoramica overlooking the town and harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-182; EF-2564; Admiralty E1692; NGA 9540. Napoli (Naples) Lighthouses * Portici (Granatello) (2) Date unknown (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 3 s. 14 m (46 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery. The tower is enclosed by silver-colored screening, so that the tower appears from a distance to be enclosed. Trabas has a closeup photo, Cirello del Granatello has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the quay in Portici, on the southeastern edge of Naples. Accessible by walking the quay. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-276; EF-2547; Admiralty E1678; NGA 9516. Antemurale Thaon di Revel Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); green flash every 4 s. 12 m (39 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square stone base. Lighthouse painted green; the lantern dome is silvery metallic. Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's closeup photo (also seen at right), a 2007 photo is available, Michel Forand has provided a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. The main entrance to the harbor of Naples is between this lighthouse and the Molo di San Vincenzo. Located at the southwest end of a detached breakwater protecting the east side of the harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-186; EF-2436; Admiralty E1648; NGA 9464. Diga Duca degli Abruzzi (Molo di San Vincenzo Extension) (2) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted red. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Michel Forand has provided a historic photo of the original lighthouse, which was a sibling of the surviving Antemurale Thaon di Revel light. Located at the end of the extension of the Molo di San Vincenzo. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-061; EF-2430.5; Admiralty E1647.5; NGA 9465.

Faro del Antemurale Thaon di Revel photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger used by permission

Molo di San Vincenzo (Napoli) (4) 1916. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 24 m (79 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted red with white trim; the lantern dome is gray metallic. A statue of San Gennaro stands near the lighthouse; the base of the statue carries two continuous red lights (EF-2442; Admiralty E1650; NGA 9476). Alexandra Svatikova's photo is at right, Trabas has a fine photo by Capt. Peter Mosselberger, Mario Belanger has another good photo, a fourth photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The architect Luca Bengiamo built the first Naples lighthouse in the 15th century; it can be seen at the left in a painting by Tavola Strozzi. In 1843, a 43 m (141 ft) lighthouse was built on the Molo Beverello; there is a postcard view of that lighthouse, which was demolished in the 1930s to make way for a harbor expansion. The present lighthouse was deactivated in 1979 after being damaged by a storm, but apparently it was not out of service for long. Michel Forand has a postcard view showing the keeper's house formerly attached to the lighthouse; the house was demolished in 1993. Located at the original end of the 1800 m (1.1 mi) long Mole di San Vincenzo, the main breakwater mole for the harbor of Naples. It does not appear that one can walk the mole. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-013; EF-2424; Admiralty E1646; NGA 9475. Pozzuoli Lighthouses Nisida (Isola di Nisida) (2?) Date unknown (station established 1841). Inactive, perhaps since the 1970s. 10 m (33 ft) round masonry tower attached to a small keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. There is an active post light (focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 3 s). Photos of this lighthouse are very scarce. It can be seen at the far right of a large photo of the island and in the lower left of an aerial view, and Google has a satellite view. Nisida is a small, volcanic island just off the coast of the Golfo di Napoli about 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Pozzuoli. The site of a NATO naval headquarters, the island is closed to the public. Located at an elbow of the breakwater mole on the north side of the island. Site and tower closed. ex-EF-2416; ex-Admiralty E1628.4; NGA 9400.

Faro di Napoli, October 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Alexandra Svatikova

* Molo Caligoliano (Pozzuoli) (2)

Date unknown (station established 1860). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, mounted atop the 2-story square stone breakwater building. The stone is unpainted; lantern painted green with a gray metallic dome. A nice photo is available, showing the heights of Capo Miseno in the distance, and Google has a good satellite view. Located at an elbow near the end of the breakwater mole of Pozzuoli, and accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-242; EF-2410; Admiralty E1625; NGA 9392.

Fortino Tenaglia (Baia) Date unknown (1950s? (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8 m (26 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Trabas has a photo, Wikipedia has a black-and-white closeup by Roberto De Martino, Alberto Zuppardi has a view from above, and Google has a satellite view. The Fortino Tenaglia is a small outpost associated with the Castello di Baia, a huge castle, one of the residences of the kings of Naples. Located on a small island, tenuously joined to the mainland by a sandbar, on the west side of the Gulfo di Pozzuoli, the bay sheltered by Capo Miseno. Site status unknown, but it may be possible to approach the lighthouse. ARLHS ITA-297; EF-2406; Admiralty E1622; NGA 9384. Capo Miseno (2) 1954 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane 80 m (262 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) round masonry tower attached to the seaward corner of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with black trim; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a good photo, a view from below and a view from the land side are available, Piero Castellano has a lovely view, Antonio Salsano has a view from the sea (a portion is at right), and Google has a satellite view. Capo Miseno, a spectacular tall headland, is the western end of the Gulfo di Napoli (Gulf of Naples). The lighthouse was destroyed in World War II and reconstructed after the war. The area surrounding the light station is a park, the Parco Regionale dei Campi Flegrei. Located at the end of the Via Faro in Monte di Procida. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-027; EF-2402; Admiralty E1620; NGA 9380.

Faro di Capo Miseno, June 2011 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Antonio Salsano

Ischia and Procida Lighthouses
Note: Ischia is a volcanic island at the western end of the Gulf of Naples, and Procida is a smaller island lying between Ischia and the mainland at Capo Miseno. Both islands are readily accessible by ferry from Pozzuoli and Naples. The islands are attached to Napoli Province.

Punta Pioppeto

1849. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) post light atop a square 1-story equipment building. Building painted white. 1-1/2 story masonry keeper's house. Trabas has a distant view showing the post atop the building, a sunset photo is also available showing the light, the light is visible in Oscar Leone's photo, and Google has a satellite view. The light marks the western entrance to the narrow passage between Procida and Capo Miseno on the mainland. Located on a promontory at the northern tip of Procida, beyond the end of the Via dei Faro. Site status unknown. ARLHS ITA-296; EF-2358; Admiralty E1618; NGA 9364.

* Porto d'Ischia (Molo Bagno) 1868. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); flash every 3 s, white or red depending on direction. 11 m (36 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square concrete block base. There is a small square equipment shelter next to the tower. Tower and shelter painted red, lantern white with a gray metallic dome. A photo is at right, Carlo Pelagalli has a good photo, a nice panoramic view is available, and Google has a satellite view. According to the former Faro di Han web site, the lighthouse was built in 1854 but not activated until 1868. Located at the end of the breakwater mole sheltering the harbor of Porto d'Ischia, at the northeast corner of the island; there's a great view from ferries arriving from Naples. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-262; EF-2374; Admiralty E1608; NGA 9344. Castello d'Ischia 1913. Active; focal plane 82 m (269 ft); white light, 2 s on, 4 s off. Gray metallic lantern mounted on the seaward rampart of a 15th century Aragonese castle. The lantern is probably centered in a Google satellite view. Alfonso of Aragon built the castle around 1441 atop the foundations of earlier Roman and Greek fortifications. Built atop a conical island just off the easternmost tip of Ischia, the castle is connected to the mainland of the Ischia by a causeway. Tours of the historic castle are available, but the upper section with the lighthouse is closed. Site and tower closed, although the lighthouse can be seen from below. ARLHS ITA-178; EF-2370; Admiralty E1614; NGA 9356. Punta Imperatore (2) 1916 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 164 m (538 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower attached to the seaward side of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. A 2006 photo is available, there is a distant view of the site, Gaetano Sensale has a view from above, and Google has a satellite view. The light serves as a landfall light for Naples. Located atop a tall, spectacular headland at the western tip of Ischia. Site status unknown. ARLHS ITA-132; EF-2398; Admiralty E1598; NGA 9328.

Faro del Porto d'Ischia, July 2009 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Gabriele

Lazio: Latina Province Lighthouses

Pontine Islands Lighthouses
Note: The Pontine Islands are a group of small islands of volcanic origin located in the Tyrrhennian Sea south of Gaeta. Although the islands were historically ruled by the Kingdom of Naples, they are now attached to the region of Lazio as part of Latina Province. The two larger islands, Ponza and Ventotene, are popular resorts accessible by passenger ferry from Formia, Terracina, and Anzio.

* Porto Nicolo (Ventotene) (2) 1891 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. There's a photo at right, a closeup photo is available, another photo shows a view from the town, and Marinas.com has aerial photos, but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of the harbor. Located on the waterfront of Porto Nicolo, where it greets travelers arriving on the island of Ventotene. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-172; EF-2286; Admiralty E1592; NGA 9320. Scoglio Ravia Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); green flash every 3 s. 6 m (20 ft) post light centered on a square stone tower adjoining a large 1-story building. Lighthouse painted green, adjoining building white. Mauro Tomasella has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located atop a large rock on the north side of the entrance to the harbor of Ponza. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. EF-2271; Admiralty E1582; NGA 9240. * Porto di Ponza (2) 1918 (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); yellow flash every 3 s. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story waterfront building. Lighthouse painted orange with white trim; lantern dome is gray metallic. A closeup, a nice view from the harbor, and a historic photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse greets travelers arriving on the island of Ponza by ferry. The original light was described as a red tower, 10 m (34 ft) tall. Located at the end of the Molo Musco, the short breakwater mole protecting the harbor of Porto di Ponza, on the southeastern coast of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-240; EF-2274; Admiralty E1584; NGA 9232.

Faro di Ventotene, August 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Marilena

* Rotonda della Madonna (2)

1959 (station established 1858). Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); four white flashes every 15 s. 18 m (59 ft) round, bluntly conical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Adjoining 3-story keeper's house. A closeup and another photo are available, also a more distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The town of Ponza has a historic photo of the original lighthouse. This lighthouse is only a short (albeit steep) hike from the Porto di Ponza waterfront. Located on a very steep promontory on the island of Ponza, about 600 m (3/8 mi) east of Porto di Ponza. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-215; EF-2266; Admiralty E1580; NGA 9228.

* Punta della Guardia (2) 1886 (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 112 m (367 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 18 m (59 ft) octagonal cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with two horizontal red bands on the keeper's house; lantern dome is gray metallic. Vincenzo Fricchione's photo is at right, Giancarlo Giuppone Trentino has a fine photo, another photo is available, as well as a more distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was much higher, at a focal plane of 226 m (741 ft). Located at the south end of the Isola di Ponza, this lighthouse can be reached by a hike of about 3 km (2 mi) one way. The scenery is spectacular: Huelse's postcard view shows how the lighthouse is perched atop a giant rock connected to the rest of the island by a very narrow isthmus. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-277; EF-2278; Admiralty E1588; NGA 9224. Zannone (Capo Negro) 1858. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 13 m (43 ft) octagonal masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Laure Chappuis has a nice view from the sea, but Google has only a very distant satellite view. Zannone is a small, uninhabited island about 25 km (15 mi) due south of Cabo Cercio. The island is part of Circeo National Park. Daytime visits to the island are permitted, but camping overnight is prohibited. Located on the northern point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-210; EF-2262; Admiralty E1577; NGA 9216. Gaeta Lighthouses * Punta dello Stendardo Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); two red flashes every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery mounted atop a 2-story concrete building. Tower painted bright red; lantern dome is silvery metallic; the building is unpainted gray concrete. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a pier at the extreme tip of the cape east of Gaeta. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-248; EF-2320; Admiralty E1560; NGA 9268. * Monte Orlando (Gaeta) (3) 1954 (station established 1854). Active; focal plane 185 m (607 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is painted white, but with unpainted cinder bricks giving the appearance of gray and white vertical stripes. The lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has an excellent photo, a 2008 sunset photo and a 2009 photo are available, Huelse has a postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was placed on the tower of the Cistercian convent of Santa Catherina. The second light, built in 1888, was a 26 m (85 ft) tower. Both the earlier lights were much lower on the slope. Located on the cape in the Parco Urbano Monte Orlando in Gaeta, about 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Naples. May not be accessible by road, but walking paths in the park reach the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-105; EF-2315; Admiralty E1558; NGA 9264.

Faro della Guardia, July 2008 Panoramio photo copyright Vincenzo Fricchione used by permission

San Felice Circeo Lighthouse

* Capo Circeo (Monte Circeo)

1866. Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); white flash every 5 s. 18 m (59 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the seaward end of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. A photo appears at the top of this page, Trabas has a fine photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Like the Anzio lighthouse, this light was ordered by Pope Leo IX. Located on the point of the cape in San Felice Circeo, a town about 55 km (34 mi) southeast of Anzio. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-009; EF-2258; Admiralty E1542; NGA 9244.

Foce Verde Pierhead

Date unknown (around 1962?). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two yellow flashes every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) post light mounted on a concrete pierhead building. Post painted yellow, building unpainted. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The pier was built for the Foce Verde nuclear power plant, which was deactivated in 1986. According to Silvio Dell'Acqua, who visited the area in 2010, the pier has been used by the Italian Air Force for rescue training. Dell'Acqua also reports that local residents told him the pier is scheduled to be demolished in the near future. Located at the end of the pier at Foce Verde. Admiralty E1541.6; NGA 9212.

Lazio: Roma (Rome) Province Lighthouses

Anzio Lighthouse

* Anzio (Capo d'Anzio) 1870. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Gianmaria Maione's photo is at right, Trabas has an excellent photo, Wikimedia has a 2008 photo, R. Damiano has a good 2006 photo, Lighthouse Explorer has Michel Forand's historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Historically the lighthouse and keeper's house were painted with black and white horizontal bands, as seen in Huelse's postcard view. Ordered by Pope Leo IX, this lighthouse was completed in 1866 but remained unlit until the Papal States were joined to Italy in 1870. The lighthouse escaped destruction in World War II because the surprise Allied invasion of Anzio in January 1944 chased German troops before they could dynamite the tower. Located on the point of the cape in Anzio, a town 53 km (33 mi) south of Rome. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-012; EF-2246; Admiralty E1538; NGA 9192. Ostia (Rome Area) Lighthouses * Lido di Ostia East Mole Date unknown. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 10 m (33 ft); green flash every 4 s. 5 m (17 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted green. Trabas has a closeup, and another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This light and the next guard the entrance to a modern marina built at Ostia to accommodate tourists visiting Rome. Located at the end of the east breakwater of the marina; accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Porto Turistico di Roma. Admiralty E1530. * Lido di Ostia West Mole Date unknown. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red flash every 4 s. 5 m (17 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted red. Trabas has a closeup, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of the marina; accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Porto Turistico di Roma. Admiralty E1531.

Faro d'Anzio, April 2008 Flickr photo copyright Sylvia Archilletti; used by permission

* Fiumicino (Fiumare Grande, Torre San Michele) (2?) 1860. Inactive since about 1910. 18 m (59 ft) octagonal stone fortress crowned by an octagonal stone watchtower. A 2007 closeup photo is available, Huelse has a postcard view of the tower while it was an active lighthouse, and Google has a good satellite view. The fortress was built in the mid 16th century by Popes Pius IV and Pius V. Located above the south bank of the Tiber on the Via degli Atlantici, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the 1946 lighthouse. Site open, tower status unknown. * Fiumicino (Fiumare) (5?) 1946 (station established 1825). Inactive since 1971. Approx. 17 m (56 ft) octagonal masonry tower attached to a 2-story keeper's house. The lighthouse was painted with red and white horizontal bands, although the colors have faded now. Gianluca Belardelli's photo is at right, a closeup photo and a more distant view are available, Huelse has a postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. Fiumicino is the modern port of Rome, replacing the Roman port of Ostia. Huelse also has a postcard view of the 60 m (197 ft) tall lighthouse that stood at Fiumicino before World War II. It was destroyed by retreating German troops, and the present lighthouse was built on its foundations. The building was abandoned in 1971 because of structural problems and because the modern port entrance has been moved about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) north. It is probably endangered. Located at the end of the Via del Faro, on the north side of the mouth of the Tiber River. Site believed to be open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-202. Civitavecchia Lighthouses * Civitavecchia (3) (Monte Cappuccini) 1951. Active; focal plane 125 m (410 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) U-shaped tapered masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising through the center of a curved 2-story keeper's house. The tower is unpainted gray stone; lantern gray metallic; house painted white. Trabas has a good photo, Ferrighi also has a photo, Antonio Arena has a closeup, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse replaced the historic Civitavecchia lighthouse after World War II. Located atop a hill about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the harbor of Civitavecchia. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-322; Admiralty E1508; NGA 9192. * Civitavecchia (2) 1616. Inactive since about 1940. Round stone tower in ruins; about 11 m (36 ft) of the tower remain. Veronica Toma has a good photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. In 108 CE, the Roman Emperor Trajan built two lighthouses at Centumcellae, now Civitavecchia, a city about 50 km (30 mi) northwest of Rome. In 1616, Pope Pius V built a new lighthouse on the foundation of one of the Roman towers, and in 1860 Pope Leo IX had a second-order lantern installed on the tower. Huelse has a postcard view of the lighthouse, which was 32 m (105 ft) tall. The lighthouse was destroyed during World War II. After the war, a 20 m (66 ft) round stone tower was built as a historic landmark on the modern breakwater, about 600 m (3/8 mi) northwest of the old lighthouse. A closeup photo of that tower is available, and Google has a satellite view. However, this "replica" does not resemble the original and is at best a faux lighthouse. The ruins of the historic lighthouse are located on a short abandoned mole on the old waterfront of Civitavecchia. Site open, tower closed.

Faro di Fiumicino, May 2007 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Gianluca Belardelli

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Ostia (about 50 CE). Built by the emperor Claudius I, the great lighthouse of Ostia was the largest Roman lighthouse and the second-most famous lighthouse of the ancient world, after the Pharos of Alexandria. Sadly, nothing remains of the building.

Notable faux lighthouses:

• Capo Palinuro Semaforo (1936). Often mistaken for a lighthouse, this is a former naval signal tower now in use as a weather station.
• Civitavecchia (late 1940s). See above; the modern tower has never been an active lighthouse.
• Faro di Roma (1911) is an ornamental lighthouse built by Manfredo Manfredi on the Passeggiata del Gianicolo south of the Vatican City and above the right (west) bank of the Tiber River. It has a revolving light that flashes the colors green, white and red, the colors of the Italian flag. Google has a satellite view.

Adjoining pages: North: Tuscany | South: Calabria and Basilicata

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Posted June 16, 2006. Checked and revised March 14, 2012. Lighthouses: 42. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.