Lighthouses of Eastern Italy

This page includes the lighthouses of the six Italian regioni of Molise, Abruzzo, Marche, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, which together encircle the west side and northwestern end of the Adriatic Sea. This area includes the important ports of Ancona, Goro, Venezia (Venice), and Trieste, as well as many smaller ports. Also included on the page are two inland lighthouses on the Lago di Garda.

The history of the area is complex, but a few dates are important for understanding lighthouse history. At the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1814, Molise and Abruzzo continued as provinces of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Marche, Emilia, and Romagna were returned to the pope's control as Papal States. Friuli-Venezia Giulia continued as part of the Austrian Empire, while Veneto was placed under Austrian rule as part of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. Molise, Abruzzo, Marche, Emilia, and Romagna were incorporated into the new Kingdom of Italy in 1860-61, and Veneto was transferred from Austria to Italy following the Six-Weeks War of 1866. Trieste and Friuli-Venezia Giulia continued under Austrian control until the Austrian Empire was dissolved following World War I; they were annexed to Italy in 1920. After World War II, the city of Trieste and part of adjoining Slovenia became a "free territory" under United Nations supervision. In 1954, the free territory was dissolved and Trieste was returned to Italian sovereignty.

The Italian word for a lighthouse is faro, plural fari. This name is usually reserved for the larger coastal lights; smaller beacons are called fanali. Aids to navigation are operated and maintained by the Italian Navy's Servizio dei Fari. Lighthouse properties are naval reservations, generally fenced and closed to the public.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. EF numbers are from the Italian Navy's light list, Elenco Fari. Admiralty numbers are from volume E of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.

General Sources
Online List of Lights - Italy -Adriatic Sea
Photos posted by Alex Trabas.
Cyberlights Lighthouses - Italy
Photos of Italian lighthouses by Egidio Ferrighi, posted by Gary Richardson and Anna Klein.
Lighthouses in Italy
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Majaky: Italie
Photos posted by Anna Krákorova.
Wikimedia: Lighthouses in Italy
Photos available in Wikimedia Commons.
Italienische Leuchttürme auf Historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.


Faro di Jesolo, Venezia, August 2008
Creative Commons photo by Michael Kesler

Lighthouses of Molise

Campobasso Province Lighthouse
* Termoli
1963. Active (?); focal plane 41 m (135 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a 1-story square concrete equipment shelter. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a photo, Antonio Augelli has a 2008 photo, Simon Francesco has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the Piazzale del Porto on the waterfront in Termoli. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-167; Admiralty E2303; NGA 11080.

Lighthouses of Abruzzo

Chieti Province Lighthouses
* Punta Penna (2)
1948 (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 84 m (276 ft); white flash every 5 s. 70 m (220 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the center of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. The lighthouse is white concrete; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a fine closeup photo, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This is the second tallest Italian lighthouse, after the Laterna di Genova. The original lighthouse was nearly destroyed by retreating German troops in 1944. The ruins were demolished in 1946, and the new lighthouse was built on the design of architect Olindo Tarcione. Located on the Via Madonna della Penna in Porto di Vasto, on a prominent cape about 7 km (4.5 mi) north of Vasto. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-138; EF-3856; Admiralty E2306; NGA 11100.
* Ortona Molo Sud
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted red; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a good photo, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater at Ortona. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E2314; NGA 11140.
* Ortona Molo Nord
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); green flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted green; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a good photo, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater at Ortona. We don't know if this pier is walkable. Site status unknown. Admiralty E2313; NGA 11132.
* Ortona
1937. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 25 m (82 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story concrete keeper's house. Tower and the seaward side of the house painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome is gray metallic. Vito Manzari's photo is at right, Trabas has a good closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the Via del Porto at the base of the north mole in Ortona. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-108; EF-3865; Admiralty E2312; NGA 11128.

Pescara Province Lighthouse
Pescara Approach
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); yellow light occulting twice every 10 s. The light is mounted atop a large offshore tower on four steel piles; the nature of this tower is unknown. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the Adriatic Sea about 6.5 km (4 mi) due east of Pescara. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E2315.6; NGA 11142.
Faro di Ortona
Faro di Ortona, September 2007
Creative Commons photo by Vito Manzari

Lighthouses of the Marche

Ascoli Piceno Province Lighthouse
* San Benedetto del Tronto
1957. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 31 m (102 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the center of a 2-story keeper's house. The lighthouse is white concrete; lantern dome is gray metalic. Peter Foster's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the Viale T. Pasqualini on the waterfront of San Benedetto del Tronto. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-154; EF-3898; Admiralty E2332; NGA 11176.

Fermo Province Lighthouses
* Pedaso (2)
1950 (station established 1877). Active; focal plane 51 m (167 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 21 m (69 ft) round concrete tower with eight buttresses, lantern, and gallery, rising from a 2-story masonry keeper's house. The lighthouse is white concrete; lantern dome is gray metalic. Trabas has a good photo, the Comune di Pedaso has several photos, Domenico Caselli has additional photos, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse, which was similar in size and form but not in detail. The old tower was pulled down after being heavily damaged by German troops in World War II. Located on a bluff about 1.5 km (1 mi) south of Pedaso. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-112; EF-3904; Admiralty E2336; NGA 11188.

Macerata Province Lighthouses
* Civitanova Marche (Chiesa del Christo Re)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 42 (138 m); four flashes in the Norse code pattern for "C" (long-short-lomg-short) every 20 s. 46 m (151 ft) round cylindrical church tower with a tall, conical steeple. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Civitanova Marche -- the "New City of Marche" -- is a resort town and yachting center about 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Ancona. Located just off the waterfront of Civitanova Marche. Site open, tower status unknown. EF-3912; Admiralty E2337.6; NGA 11208.
* Civitanova Molo Nord
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); green flash every 5 s. 8 m (26 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted with green and white horizontal bands. Trabas has a good photo, a nighttime photo shows the lighthouse in silhouette, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the mole on the north side of the harbor of Civitanova Marche; accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. EF-3914; Admiralty E2339; NGA 11196.

Faro di San Benedetto del Tronto, October 2006
Wikipedia Creative Commons photo by Peter Foster

Ancona Province Lighthouses
** Colle Cappucini (Ancona) (1)
1860. Inactive since 1965. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with a flared masonry gallery, rising from a 2-story keeper's house. Lantern removed. The lighthouse is unpainted. Marco Baldinelli has a page for the lighthouse, Wikimedia has an excellent photo, another photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Ordered by Pope Pius IX, this fortified light station was one of the last public works built in the Marche by the papal administration. In 2000, a volunteer group secured permission to clean up the tower and open the building on weekends. Located on the Via del Faro at the edge of the Parco Monte Cardeto, overlooking the harbor. Site open; tower open Saturday afternoons and Sundays all year.
* Colle Cappucini (Ancona) (2)
1965 (station established 1860). Active; focal plane 118 m (387 ft); four white flashes every 30 s. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. A 1st order Fresnel lens is in use. Tower colored with gray and white vertical stripes; these colors may be in the concrete rather than painted. Ferrighi's photo is at right, Trabas has a similar photo, Lolo Macor has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Lantern dome is gray metalic. Located just north of the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-104; EF-3930; Admiralty E2344; NGA 11216.
Ancona Molo Foraneo Nord (2)
Date unknown (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. This is a new color scheme for the tower. Trabas has a closeup photo, Wolfgang Gottschalk has a 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. A February 2006 photo shows the previous color pattern with red and white horizontal bands. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Ancona. Site and tower closed. EF-3931; Admiralty E2346; NGA 11224.
Ancona Molo Foraneo Sud (2)
Date unknown (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 4 s. 7 m (23 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted green. Trabas has a photo, Krákorová has a distant photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Ancona. Site and tower closed. EF-3932; Admiralty E2349; NGA 11220.
Marina Dorica
Date unknown. Inactive(?). Approx. 6 m (20 ft) tower with lantern and gallery built on the roof of large marina pier building. The tower appears to be unpainted brick; lantern painted white with a black dome. Krákorová has a distant photo (last photo on the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located on the main quay of the marina, at the south end of Ancona harbor. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Marina Dorica.
Ancona Lighthouse
Faro della Colle Cappucini, Ancona
photo copyright Egidio Ferrighi; used by permission
* Senigallia (Molo di Levante) (3?)
1950 (station established 1847). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two long (2 s) white flashes every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) rectangular cylindrical tower with lantern, rising from the seaward end of a 3-story building. The entire building is painted with black and white horizontal bands; the lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has a good photo, Francesco Gasparetti has a photo, Ferrighi also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This building incorporates an 18th century tower, seen at the right in Huelse's pre-1915 postcard view of what is believed to be the second lighthouse. Located near the root of the east breakwater (Molo di Levante) at Senigallia. Accessible by a street, the Banchina di Levante, along the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-181; EF-3954; Admiralty E2358; NGA 11276.

Pesaro e Urbino Province Lighthouses
* Fano (2?)
Around 1950 (station established before 1862). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story brick Guardia Costiera (coast guard) headquarters building. Tower painted white; lantern is gray metallic; coast guard building is unpainted red brick. Trabas has a photo, Nicolo Canestrari has a 2008 photo, and Ferrighi has a photo. Huelse has a postcard view of the original lighthouse, a 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical tower attached to a small 1-story building. Located one block south of the waterfront in Fano. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-065; EF-3966; Admiralty E2362; NGA 11280.
* Monte di San Bartolo (Pesaro)
1952 (station established 1883). Active; focal plane 175 m (574 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 25 m (82 ft) round tower mounted on a square 1-story base, attached to a 2-story keeper's house. Tower painted white. This is a powerful lighthouse with a range of 40 km (25 mi). Trabas has a good photo, another photo is available, Mirko Pucci has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a postcard view of the 1883 Pesaro lighthouse, known as the Old Port East Entrance Light; it was destroyed in 1944, during World War II. However, Michel Forand has pointed out that this lighthouse really replaced the lost Castel di Mezzo lighthouse, which was located about 8 km (5 mi) farther northwest. Located on a steep slope above the Adriatic about 2 km (1.2 mi) northwest of Pesaro. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-106; EF-3986; Admiralty E2372; NGA 11296.
* Cattolica (Gabicce) (3?)
1960 (station established 1882). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); three long (2 s) white flashes every 14 s. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with enclosed lower level, lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. A 2009 photo is available, Christian Pieri has a 2008 photo, Trabas has a photo showing temporary wrapping around the tower, and Google has a satellite view. The channel in front of this lighthouse forms part of the boundary between the Marche and Emilia-Romagna. An earlier light was in a small wooden tower shown in Huelse's postcard view, and Michel Forand has another postcard view that shows an even earlier wooden tower. Located at the root of the east mole in Gabicce, the town in Marche that adjoins Cattolica in Emilia-Romagna. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-051; EF-3996; Admiralty E2381; NGA 11308.

Faro di San Bartolo, Pesaro
photo copyright Egidio Ferrighi; used by permission

Lighthouses of Emilia-Romagna

Rimini Province Lighthouse
* Rimini (3)
Late 1940s (station established 1733). Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 25 m (82 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a large square base in front of a 2-story brick keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a closeup photo, Maria Grazia Marrulli has a 2008 closeup photo, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The short 1862 lighthouse was extended by 9 m (30 ft) in 1911, giving it the appearance seen in a postcard view posted by Huelse. Heavily damaged during World War II, it was torn down after the war and replaced by the present tower. Located on the Via Destra del Porto on the east side of the harbor channel in Rimini. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-152; EF-4005; Admiralty E2394; NGA 11324.

Forli-Cesena Province Lighthouse
* Rocca delle Caminate
1927(?). Inactive since World War II. Square cylindrical stone watchtower with gallery. A history in English is available, and Andrea Brunelli has a wintry distant view. The Rocca della Caminate is an 11th century castle that was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1870. Rebuilt in the 1920s, it served as a summer residence for Mussolini. The light was Italy's highest, with a focal plane of 330 m (1083 ft). The lantern is believed to have been removed around 1980. Although this was listed as an official light, its location about 28 km (17.5 mi) from the Adriatic made it useless for navigation. Located on a high ridge about 20 km (13 mi) west southwest of Cesena, near Predappio. Site open; the castle is open for tours.
* Cesenatico (2)
Date unknown (station established 1892). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical brick tower attached to a 2-story brick keeper's house. Tower painted white; house painted yellow with white trim; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, a 2008 sunset photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The keeper's house continues in service as an office of the Guardia Costiera. The original light was an 18 m (59 ft) square tower; it was destroyed during World War II. The light guides ships entering the historic Porto Canale, a waterway first envisioned in drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. Located on the east side of the harbor channel in Cesenatico. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-052; Admiralty E2404; NGA 11340.
Faro di Rimini
Faro di Rimini, April 2008
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Ravenna Province Lighthouses
* Cervia
1875 (extended in 1918). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 16 m (52 ft) 2-stage octagonal brick tower with lantern and a gallery at the top of the first stage. The lighthouse is unpainted red brick. Trabas has a photo, Krákorová also has a photo, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The upper stage of the tower was added in 1918. Located adjacent to the harbor of Cervia. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-196; EF-4028; Admiralty E2411; NGA 11352.
* Marina di Ravenna (Porto Corsini)
1862 (Achille Buffoni) (rebuilt in 1950). Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 5 s. 33 m (108 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 3-story brick building. Tower painted white; building is unpainted red brick; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a good photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks an artificial channel cut in the 18th century for the city of Ravenna; the channel now connects to an a harbor, the Marina di Ravenna, dredged from the lagoon and wetlands behind the barrier island. The original light was 24 m (79 ft) tall; it was raised in 1935 and rebuilt after being heavily damaged during World War II. Ravenna was also the site of Roman lighthouse. Located on the south side of the harbor entrance, about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Ravenna. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-114; EF-4056; Admiralty E2418; NGA 11376.

Ferrara Province Lighthouses
* Porto Garibaldi (2)
Around 1950 (station established 1891). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); four white flashes every 15 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, rising from the front of a 2-story keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has an excellent photo, a 2009 photo is available, Marinas.com has distant aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is the westernmost lighthouse of the Adriatic Sea. The original light was on a mast. Porto Garibaldi, the seaport of the city of Comacchio, was almost completely destroyed during World War II; the original lighthouse was among the casualties. Located on the north side of the harbor entrance at Porto Garibaldi, about 30 km (20 mi) north of Ravenna. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-116; EF-4062; Admiralty E2426; NGA 11400.
** Goro (Porto di Po di Goro) (2)
1950 (station established 1862). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 24 m (79 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story brick keeper's house. Tower painted white; house is unpainted red brick; lantern dome is gray metallic. Ferrighi's photo is at right, an excellent photo and a fine 2008 photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. This historic lighthouse marks the entrance to the Po River. The Po has formed a large delta extending into the Adriatic, and the lighthouse is on the south side of this delta in a area of dunes and marshes. Ruins of the older lighthouse, destroyed during World War II, can be found several hundred meters west of the present lighthouse. The present lighthouse was painted with red and white horizontal bands until 1985. In recent years it has become a birding center, and there is reported to be a small restaurant in the building. Located on the south side of the river's southernmost entrance, which forms part of the boundary between Emilia-Romagna and Veneto. Accessible only by boat, but transportation is available and there is a distant view from across the channel, at the end of highway SP66. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-073; EF-4072; Admiralty E2434; NGA 11428.

Faro di Goro
photo copyright Egidio Ferrighi; used by permission

Lighthouses of Veneto (the Venice Region)

Rovigo Province (Po Delta) Lighthouses
Punta della Maestra (Delta Po) (2)
1949 (station established 1885). Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 45 m (148 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Claudio Pedrazza has a photo, another photo is available, Trabas has a distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The original lighthouse, known as the Faro di Pila, was about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of the current light station. It was destroyed by German troops during World War II. Punta della Maestra is the tip of the delta of the Po River and the location of the river's largest mouth, the Po della Pila. The lighthouse is on the north side of the entrance to the Po della Pila, about 3.5 km (2 mi) east of Pila. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-129; EF-4084; Admiralty E2440; NGA 11436.
* Porto Levante (Albarella) (2)
1980s(?) (station established 1914). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); white light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 52 m (171 ft) water tower, square cylindrical with an octagonal tank structure at the top and a round one below. Ferrighi's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was on a skeletal tower. Unusually decorative for a water tower, the present light is located on the Viale Toni Gardin in Isola Albarella, a resort community on the north side of the Po di Levante, the northernmost mouth of the Po River. Site open, tower closed. EF-4092; Admiralty E2443; NGA 11448.

Note: All the following lighthouses of Veneto are located in Venezia (Venice) Province. Located just to the north of the Po Delta, the Laguna Veneta (Venice Lagoon) is separated from the Adriatic Sea by barrier islands. There are three navigable gaps in the barrier: the Porto di Chioggia on the south, the Porto di Malamocco in the center, and the Porto di Lido in the north, closest to the city. The barrier island between the Porto di Malamocco and the Porto di Lido is known as the Lido di Jesolo or the Lido di Venezia.
Porto di Chioggia Lighthouses
Chioggia (1) (Forte San Felice)
1868. Inactive since 1996. Octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery mounted on an 18th century fort. Tower is unpainted; lantern dome is gray metallic. John Armacost has a closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Chioggia is a port at the southernmost entrance to the Laguna Veneta. Built in the 18th century, the Forte San Felice guarded the entrance to Chioggia. The fort is in dilapidated condition and is not open to the public. Located on the south side of the Porto di Chioggia entrance. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-054.
* Chioggia (2)
1996 (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); two long (2 s) white flashes every 10 s. 18 m (59 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located east of Forte San Felice, an area accessible by road from Sottomarina, the beachfront community of Chioggia. Site open, tower closed. EF-4099; Admiralty E2450; NGA 11452.

Faro di Porto Levante (Albarella)
photo copyright Egidio Ferrighi; used by permission

Porto di Malamocco Lighthouses
Malamocco Nuovo Molo Foraneo
2007. Active; red light, characteristics unknown. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Trabas also has a photo, and a 2009 photo is available. This new lighthouse was installed at the end of a long, curving breakwater (completed in 2007) that is part of major project to protect Venice from disastrous tidal flooding. The Magistrato alle Acque di Venezia has posted an aerial photo that shows the new breakwater and all three of the Malamocco lighthouses. Site and tower closed. Admiralty E2466.2.
Malamocco Molo Sud (Lanterna di Malamocco) (2)
2007 (station established 1860?). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); red flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted red. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The Porto di Malamocco is the central one of three entrances to the Laguna Veneta. Located at the end of the south mole at Porto di Malamocco. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-221; EF-4140; Admiralty E2467; NGA 11496.
Malamocco Molo Nord (Diga degli Alberoni) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); green flash every 5 s. 19 m (62 ft) square cylindrical light tower with lantern and gallery, mounted atop a 2-story keeper's house. Upper half of the lighthouse painted green, lower half white. Trabas has a photo, a 2009 photo is available, Wikipedia has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was restored and repainted in 2007. The original light had a focal plane of 12.5 m (41 ft). Located at the end of the north mole at Porto di Malamocco. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-220; EF-4138; Admiralty E2466; NGA 11500.
* Rocchetta (2)
Date unknown (station established 1879). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 24 m (79 ft) round cement-clad brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising through the center of a 1-story brick keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with a black vertical stripe on the seaward side. Ferrighi's photo is at right, Trabas has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the south end of the Lido, the barrier island that protects Venice from the Adriatic. Built in 1855, the original lighthouse was not activated until 1879. Located on the north side of the Porto di Malamocco in Alberoni. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-180; EF-4132; Admiralty E2464; NGA 11488.
* Alberoni
Date unknown. Inactive. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) round masonry tower with gallery, rising from a 2-story keeper's house. Lantern removed. The lighthouse is unpainted. Ferrighi has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. We need information on the history of this interesting, abandoned lighthouse. It is possible that it was in use for only a short period in the late 1800s. Located on the Strada della Droma, on the heights of Alberoni, perhaps 800 m (1/2 mi) northeast of the Faro di Rocchetta. Site open, tower closed.
Faro di Rochetta
Faro di Rochetta
photo copyright Egidio Ferrighi; used by permission
Spignon (2)
1886 (station established 1860). Inactive for many years. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) round brick tower with gallery. Lantern removed. The lighthouse is unpainted. Several small ruined wooden buildings are at the base of the tower. Steffen Röhner has a photo, Gianni Trevisanato has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Another interesting abandoned lighthouse; it guided ships between Venice and the Porto di Malamocco. Located on a sandbar in the Laguna Veneta, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the Porto di Malamocco. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed.

Porto di Lido and Venice Lighthouses
Lido Molo Sud (Faro San Nicolò)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two red flashes every 8 s. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal brick tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted red brick with white stone trim under the gallery; lantern roof is white. Trabas has a photo, Krákorová has a distant photo (lower photo on the page), a closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south mole at the Porto di Lido; this mole is about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) long. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-239; EF-4164; Admiralty E2484; NGA 11520.
Lido Molo Nord (La Pagoda)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); two long (2 s) white flashes every 12 s; also an entrance light, two green flashes every 8 s, at a focal plane of 14 m (46 ft), corresponding to the south mole light. 25 m (82 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with lantern and gallery mounted atop a 4-story building. The seaward front of the building is painted in a black and white checkerboard pattern; the lantern is white; and the skeletal tower and lantern roof are gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, a 2009 view from the sea is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is always called the Pagoda, although its resemblance to a pagoda seems rather obscure. Krákorová has a photo taken from the landward side in which the profile of the building is vaguely pagoda-like. Located at the end of the north mole at the Porto di Lido; this mole is only about 400 m (1/4 mi) long. Site and tower closed, but there's a good view from the base of the mole in Punta Sabbioni. ARLHS ITA-239; EF-4152; Admiralty E2480; NGA 11516.
[Lido Fanale Anteriore (Entrance Range Front)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) square skeletal tower wrapped in some material colored with black and white horizontal bands, mounted on a wood platform on wood piles. Trabas has a photo, Krákorová also has a photo, and Google has a good satellite view. Located about 400 m (1/4 mi) north of the northern tip of Lido di Venezia. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-259; EF-4177; Admiralty E2486; NGA 11524.
San Giorgio Maggiore Orientale
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); light pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal stone tower with gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted white stone. Trabas has a photo, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. San Giorgio Maggiore is an island across the Grand Canal from the center of Venice. A breakwater protects a harbor on the north side of the island, and this is western of two identical towers at the ends of the breakwater. The west tower is in the foreground of Camille King's photo of the island. It is not known if the east tower has been used as a lighthouse. Located at the western end of the San Giorgio Maggiore breakwater. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E2498.
* Isola di Murano (Entrance Range Rear)
1912. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white light, 4 s on, 2 s off. 35 m (115 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and double gallery. The lighthouse is painted white; near the top there are three black horizontal bars facing the range line. The lantern appears to be empty and without glass; the light is apparently mounted on the top gallery rail. Krákorova's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, another excellent photo is available., and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse has a distinct lean in the seaward direction. Murano is part of the city of Venice but about 1.5 km (1 mi) to the north; it is accessible by waterbus from the central city. Located 3.2 km (2 mi) west northwest of the front light, on the southeast side of the Isola di Murano, near the foot of the Calle Giuseppe Briati. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-088; EF-4177.1; Admiralty E2486.1; NGA 11528.
* Porto Piave Vecchia (Jesolo, Iesolo) (2)
1950 (station established 1853). Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); four white flashes every 25 s. 48 m (157 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 3-story harbor control building. Lighthouse painted with gray and white horizontal bands. The lighthouse is floodlit at night. Michael Kesler's photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has a photo, Ferrighi has a photo, Eliseo Marcato has a 2008 nighttime view, Huelse has a postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. The building at the base of the lighthouse is the harbor master's office for Venice. The original lighthouse was destroyed by German troops during World War II. Located on the west side of the Sile River entrance, about 11 km (7 mi) east of the Porto di Lido. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-119; EF-4264; Admiralty E2504; NGA 11556.

Isola di Murano Light
photo copyright Anna Krákorova; used by permission

Caorle and Bibione Lighthouses
* Caorle
1917. Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square church tower with an octagonal steeple. The light is mounted on a bracket about halfway up the tower. Tower painted white. Trabas has a good photo, a 2009 photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The tower is not attached to the church, the Chiesa della Madonna del'Angelo. Located on a promontory at the eastern end of the waterfront of Caorle. Site open, tower closed. EF-4272; Admiralty E2508; NGA 11568.
* Punta Tagliamento (Bibione)
1913. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 21 m (69 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the landward side of a 2-story keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Giorgio Rafaelli has an excellent photo, Trabas has a closeup of the tower, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. The light station is on the beach, clearly endangered by storm surges or rising sea level. Several stone seawalls have been built in the surf to protect it. This lighthouse overlooks the former Austrian frontier, so from 1866 to 1918 it marked the easternmost point of Italy. Located on a promontory at the end of Via del Faro on the east side of Bibione. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-148; EF-4288; Admiralty E2518; NGA 11572.

Lighthouses of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Udine Province Lighthouses
* Porto Lignano Sabbiadoro (1)
1902. Inactive. 6 m (20 ft) square wood tower with a pyramidal roof, mounted on a square concrete pier; the light was shown from the peak of the roof. Lighthouse painted red. Roger McLassus contributed a photo to Wikipedia, Giandomenico Ricci has a good 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the surf at the eastern end of Porto Lignano Sabbiadoro, where it marked the western entrance to the Laguna di Marano. Site open, tower closed.
* Porto Lignano Sabbiadoro (2)
Date unknown (station established 1902). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red flash every 2 s. 6 m (20 ft) square wood tower with a pyramidal roof, mounted on a square concrete pier; the light is shown from the peak of the roof. Lighthouse painted red. Trabas has a closeup photo, Luigi Chiesa contributed a photo to Wikipedia that shows both lighthouses, Giandomenico Ricci has a good 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This exact copy of the 1902 lighthouse was built when a new pier was constructed adjacent to the old light. Located at the end of the pier at the eastern end of Porto Lignano Sabbiadoro, where it marks the western entrance to the Laguna di Marano. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E2521; NGA 11576.

Trieste Province Lighthouses
*** Vittoria
1927. Active; focal plane 115 m (377 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 68 m (223 ft) round fluted stone tower with lantern and gallery, crowned by a bronze statue of Victoria (winged victory). Dario Manzoni has a good closeup photo, Trabas has a photo, another photo is available, Luca Deboli's view from downtown Trieste gives a sense of the setting, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built after World War I brought Trieste and the Istrian peninsula to the south under Italian control. Built of Istrian stone on the foundation of a 19th century Austrian fortress, the lighthouse was designed by the architect Arduino Berlam with sculptures by Giovanni Mayer. The structure celebrates the Italian victory and is a memorial to Italian sailors lost in the war. It stands on the hill of Gretta, off the Strada del Friuli, about 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the central city and waterfront. Site open, lighthouse open daily except Wednesdays from April 1 through September 30 and on Sundays and major feast days during the rest of the year. Site manager: Provincia di Trieste. ARLHS ITA-174; EF-4376; Admiralty E2558; NGA 11676.
[Trieste Molo Foraneo (Trieste Breakwater South Head)]
Date unknown (station established 1863). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red flash every 3 s. 4 m (13 ft) square masonry tower with gallery but no lantern, painted red. Trabas has a photo, and Francesca Palazzi has a distant view. Located at the south end of the detached breakwater protecting the harbor of Trieste. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. EF-4402; Admiralty E2560; NGA 11680.
* Trieste (Lanterna di Trieste, Molo Santa Teresa) (2)
1833 (station established 1769). Inactive since 1969. 31 m (102 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a circular 2-story stone building. The lighthouse is unpainted white stone. A photo appears at right, Dario Manzoni has a good photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos, Google has a satellite view. This is the only Austrian-designed lighthouse in Italy. Built of Austrian limestone, it was designed by the architect Matteo Pertsch and is considered to be an important part of Trieste's cultural heritage. According to a historical account, it replaced a lighthouse ordered by the Empress Maria Theresa that took 25 years to build (1744-1769). Much earlier, there was a Roman lighthouse in Trieste, and from the 7th century lights were shown from the tower of the chapel of San Nicolò. Located on the Molo Fratelli Bandiera, the main pier in the heart of the Trieste waterfront. Site open, tower closed.

Lanterna di Trieste, March 2008
anonymous Wikipedia public domain photo

Inland Lighthouses

Lago di Garda Lighthouses
Note: The Lago di Garda is Italy's largest lake, some 51 km (32 mi) long, stretching north to south at the southern edge of the Italian Alps. Portions of the lake lie in the regions of Lombardia, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Veneto.
* Desenzano del Garda
Late 1800s. Active; white light, characteristics unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted stone with white trim. A photo is at right, Ewan McIntosh has a photo, an evening closeup shows the lighthouse in action, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. Located at the end of a breakwater mole at Desenzano del Garda, a town at the southwestern corner of the lake in Lombardia. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Città di Desanzano del Garda.
* Riva del Garda
Date unknown (recent). Active (?); white light, characteristics unknown. Approx. 23 m (75 ft) concrete tower, with a lantern and gallery mounted on a platform supported by four concrete columns. The lighthouse is a light beige color. Martin Steinthaler has a closeup photo, Petteri Kantokari has a photo, and a nighttime photo suggests that a light is displayed. Riva del Garda also has a 6 m (20 ft) stone post light on the city waterfront; this light replaces a somewhat more substantial tower seen in Huelse's historic postcard view. The new lighthouse is located at a yacht club. Located in Riva del Garda, at the northern end of the lake in Trentino-Alto Adige. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Fraglia Vela Riva.

Faro di Desanzano del Garda, November 2007
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Slovenia | South: Puglia

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Posted August 21, 2006. Checked and revised January 29, 2010. Lighthouses: 48. Site copyright 2010 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.