Lighthouses of Italy: Liguria

La Spezia Province Lighthouses

* Punta Santa Teresa Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 5 m (17 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted green with a white lantern roof, and mounted on a stone mole. Ferrighi has a photo, Trabas has a good photo, Wikimedia has a closeup, and Bing has an aerial view. Located on the point 800 m (1/2 mi) south of Muggiano, opposite the end of the outer breakwater of La Spezia. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-252; EF-1745; Admiralty E1274; NGA 7820. La Spezia Diga Foranea Estremità Est (Rada di La Spezia) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Trabas has a photo, Giacchè Attilio has a photo, Wikimedia has a photo, Ferrighi has a photo of the lighthouse in silhouette (note the Faro San Venerio in the distance), Trabas has a view from the sea, and Bing has an aerial view. Located at the east end of the outer breakwater (diga foranea) of La Spezia just off Punta Santa Teresa south of Muggiano, marking the gap between the breakwater and the shore. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-217; EF-1740; Admiralty E1270; NGA 7812. * La Spezia Molo Italia Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red flash every 4 s. 8 m (26 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted bright red; the lantern is silvery metallic. A photo is at right, another photo is available, Trabas has a good photo, and Bing has an aerial view. Located at the end of the Molo Italia on the waterfront of downtown La Spezia, marking the entrance to the traditional inner harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-294; EF-1820; Admiralty E1290; NGA 7764. * Darsena Duca degli Abruzzi Range Front Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red or green depending on direction. Light mounted on the roof of the main building of the La Spezia naval station. Trabas has a photo, and Bing has an aerial view. Site status unknown. EF-1755; Admiralty E1312; NGA 7744.

Molo Italia Light, La Spezia, September 2006 Wikimedia public domain photo by Icarus83

* Pegazzano (Darsena Duca degli Abruzzi Range Rear)

1915. Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off, visible only on or near the range line. 13 m (43 ft) pentagonal masonry tower with a masonry lantern room; the light is displayed through a window. Tower painted white, except the two front faces are painted in a red and white checkerboard pattern. Trabas has a photo by Ferrighi, and Bing has an aerial view. Located on a hillside in the Pegazzano neighborhood, off the Via Sant'Eutichiano, 1 km (0.6 mi) northwest of the front light. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-165; EF-1765; Admiralty E1312.1; NGA 7748.

La Spezia Diga Foranea Estremità Ovest (Breakwater West End)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) round tapered concrete tower, with lantern and gallery, painted green. Francesca Bezzan has a good photo, Carla Piccolini has a 2009 photo, Trabas also has a photo, and Bing has an aerial view. Located on the west end of the outer breakwater (diga foranea) of La Spezia just off Punta Santa Maria della Spezia. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ITA-216; EF-1730; Admiralty E1269; NGA 7724.

* Punta Santa Maria della Spezia (Punta Santa Marinella)

1913. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 4 s. 7 m (23 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted bright red; lantern painted white. Trabas has a view from the sea, and Bing has an aerial view. Located on a mole on the west side of the entrance to La Spezia. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-251; EF-1725; Admiralty E1268; NGA 7720.

Torre della Scuola Date unknown (1920s or 1930s). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. A short post light mounted on one corner of the Torre della Scuola, a ruined pentagonal stone fortress. A good photo is available, Trabas also has a photo, and Bing has an aerial view. Located in the entrance to La Spezia, about 300 m (330 yd) off the northeast corner of the Isola Palmaria. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. EF-1716; Admiralty E1263; NGA 7708. Isola del Tino (Faro San Venerio) (1) 1840. Inactive since 1884. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with gallery, attached to one corner of a 2-story keeper's house; lantern removed. Tower painted red. Buildings unpainted. A Navy photo is at right, a 2009 photo is available, Trabas has a distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has an aerial view. The tower has been out of use since it was replaced by a taller tower a few feet away in 1884. The Isola del Tino is a wedge-shaped island off the western entrance to the Golfo della Spezia, the harbor of La Spezia. The light station is perched high atop the wedge facing the Ligurian Sea. Accessible only by boat. The site is a military reservation and is generally closed, but it is open each year on September 13, the festival of San Venerio. Tower closed. ARLHS ITA-058. Isola del Tino (Faro San Venerio) (2) 1884 (station established 1840). Active; focal plane 117 m (384 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 24 m (79 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Alessandro Manfredi has a photo, Benedetta Regazzi has a good 2010 photo, Trabas has a distant view, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located adjacent to the original lighthouse. ARLHS ITA-282; EF-1708; Admiralty E1262; NGA 7696.

Isola del Tino Light Italian Navy photo (no longer online)

Eastern Genova Province (Portofino Area) Lighthouses

* Rapallo Date unknown (station established 1918). Active (privately maintained); focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white flash every 3 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) round tower with gallery, rising from a 1-story pier house. Tower painted white. Trabas has a photo, the light is seen in a panoramic view of the port, and Google has a satellite view. Located at a right-angle bend in the main breakwater of Rapallo, the Calata Andrea Doria. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E1255; NGA 7660. * Portofino Entrance 1913. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); green flash every 3 s. The light is mounted on a bracket on the side of a 3-story waterfront building. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on the Calata Marconi in Portofino. Site open. EF-1680; Admiralty E1246; NGA 7640. * Portofino 1917. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Davide Papalini's photo is at right, Ferrighi has a photo, Marco Molinari has a good view from the sea, a closeup is available, Huelse has a fine historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. The famous resort town of Portofino is located behind the shelter of a steep promontory, with this lighthouse on the point. The light station is accessible by a popular walk of about 1200 m (3/4 mi) from the town. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-131; EF-1675; Admiralty E1244; NGA 7636. * Camogli (2) Date unknown (station established 1863). Active (?); focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern roof is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, Wikimedia has photos, and Google has a satellite view. In early 2012, the Admiralty listed the light as "temporarily extinguished," and Alessio Sbarbaro's May 2012 photo shows that the lantern was removed. Located at the end of the breakwater at Camogli; accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-189; EF-1671; Admiralty E1236; NGA 7624.

Portofino Light, Portofino, October 2009 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Davide Papalini

Lighthouses of Genova (Genoa)
Note: The minor lighthouses in this group are operated by the Genoese port authority, the Autorità Portuale di Genova; the Navy operates only the Punta Vagno lighthouse and the Lanterna di Genova.

* Punta Vagno (2) Date unknown (station established 1920s or 1930s). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft) (?); three long (2 s) white flashes every 15 s. 9 m (30 ft) (?) round concrete (?) tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof painted black. Chris Goldberg's photo is at right, Carlo Dambra has a 2008 photo, Trabas also has a photo, and Bing has an aerial view. Standing on the mainland, this lighthouse guides ships approaching the eastern entrance to the harbor of Genova. We need better information concerning this station. There are reports of a small lighthouse here in the late 19th century, but the earliest date for which a light can be confirmed is 1937. The present lighthouse appears taller than the indicated 9 m, and its focal plane appears higher than 26 m. Located near the foot of the Via Piave on the east side of downtown Genoa. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-151; EF-1575; Admiralty E1230; NGA 7612. Molo Duca di Galliera (Genoa Breakwater) Date unknown (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red flash every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted red; lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, a 2008 photo is available, and Bing has an aerial view. Located at the end of the breakwater on the south side of the entrance to the old harbor of Genova. The pier is not walkable, but there is a boat service that carries fishermen to the end of the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-063; Admiralty E1219; NGA 7580. * Marina Fiera East Mole Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash 4 s. 7 m (23 ft) round bottle-shaped tower mounted on a square masonry tower. Entire lighthouse painted green. Trabas has a photo, and the light is centered in Bing's aerial view. Located at the end of the east mole of a basin on the east side of Genova. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E1220; NGA 7584. * Molo Vecchio (4?) Date unknown (station established in the 16th century). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); flashing green light. 5 m (17 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted green. Trabas has a photo, and the lighthouse is centered in Bing 's aerial view. The original lighthouse is seen in a 1572 pictorial map of Genova. The 1840 lighthouse was much taller than the present light, with a focal plane height of 21 m (69 ft); it was replaced by a short tower in 1909, but it's not clear if that is also the present tower. Located on the Molo Vecchio (Old Mole), a major commercial pier on the east side of Genova's old harbor. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E1226; NGA 7604.

Punta Vagno Light, Genoa, May 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Chris Goldberg

** La Lanterna di Genova (2)

1543 (station established in the 12th century). Active; focal plane 117 m (384 ft); two white flashes, separated by 5 s, every 20 s. 77 m (253 ft) two-stage square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and two galleries, one at the top of each stage. The tower is unpainted gray stone; the lantern dome is painted in a red and white checkerboard pattern. Andrzej Otrębski's photo is at the top of this page, Paolo Costa has a photo, Carlo Natale has a November 2009 photo, Trabas has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a great aerial view. This famous and magnificent lighthouse is the symbol of Genoa, and the arms of the city are painted on the sides of the lower stage. The Lanterna is the world's second tallest traditional lighthouse (after Île Vierge, France) and also the world's second oldest light station (after Spain's Torre de Hércules). It is believed that the original lighthouse (which was nearly as tall) stood on this site as early as 1128 (another source says 1161), and a lamp fueled by olive oil was installed in 1326. Columbus had an uncle, Antonio Columbo, who was appointed a keeper here in 1449 (a century before the present lighthouse was built). The upper portion of the tower was damaged during fighting with a French army in 1506, leading eventually to the construction of the present tower. A Fresnel lens was installed in 1840, and the present rotating first order lens was installed in 1913. A museum has been built nearby in part of the fortifications that surround the tower. The lighthouse was restored by the Provincia di Genova between 1995 and 2004. Visitors are allowed to climb to the first gallery, which is 36 m (118 ft) above the foot of the tower and 76 m (249 ft) above the water. Located on the Via al Largo della Lanterna, within walking distance of the ferry terminal in downtown Genoa. Site open; tower and museum open on weekends and holidays, or by appointment. ARLHS ITA-177; EF-1569; Admiralty E1206; NGA 7568.

Voltri Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white or green light, depending on direction; 1 s on, 1 s off. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted white concrete except for a green band painted at the gallery level. Trabas has a good photo, a 2009 photo is available, and Bing has an aerial view. Voltri is a modern commercial harbor developed about 11 km (7 mi) west of Genova. Located at the west end of the detached breakwater at Voltri. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty E1202; NGA 7528.

Savona Province Lighthouses

* Capo di Vado (Vado Ligure) 1883. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); four white flashes every 15 s. 34 m (112 ft) octagonal cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the seaward side of a 3-story masonry keeper's house; in an unusual design, the tower attaches to all three floors of the house. Entire lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a larger copy of Capt. Peter Mosselberger's photo at right, and a 2008 photo is available. The Marinas.com aerial photos and a Google satellite view reveal that the lighthouse is actually in the middle of the Porto di Vado interchange on the Via Aurelia (SP-1) expressway. Capo di Vado is an prominent cape about 40 km (25 mi) west of Genova. Located on the SP-1 about 1.5 km (1 mi) south of Vado Ligure. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-017; EF-1514; Admiralty E1172; NGA 7396. * Capo delle Mele (Capo Mele) 1856. Active; focal plane 94 m (308 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 25 m (82 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with octagonal masonry watch room, lantern and gallery, attached to the seaward side of a 3-story red brick keeper's house. A large Fresnel lens is in use. Tower painted white with buff trim; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, a 2007 photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. This handsome and historic lighthouse is built at the western entrance to the Golfo di Genova. Heavily damaged during World War II, it was restored in 1947-48. Located above the point of the cape, on the northeast side of Andora. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-015; EF-1506; Admiralty E1168; NGA 7356. Imperia Province Lighthouses * Oneglia Molo di Levante (Molo Lungo) (2) Date unknown (station established 1858). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two green flashes every 7 s. 6 m (20 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted green. A good photo is available, Trabas has a photo that shows the Imperia lighthouse in the distant background, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the Oneglia breakwater on the east side of Imperia. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-118; EF-1498; Admiralty E1162; NGA 7340. * Oneglia Molo di Ponente (Molo Corto) Date unknown (station established 1881). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); two red flashes every 7 s. 6 m (20 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted red; lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the short west mole at Oneglia on the east side of Imperia. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. EF-1502; Admiralty E1164; NGA 7344.

Capo di Vado Light, Vado Ligure photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger used by permission

* Porto Maurizio (Imperia) Molo di Levante

Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 8 m (26 ft); green flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted green; lantern is gray metallic. The harbor at Imperia was expanded considerably around 2009-10, and this lighthouse was relocated from the end of the old east breakwater to an elbow of the new one. It is seen at left in a November 2011 photo. Trabas's photo shows the lighthouse at its original location. Google has a satellite view of the new location. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. EF-1488; Admiralty E1158; NGA 7332.

* Porto Maurizio (Imperia) (2) Date unknown (1940s or early 1950s) (station established 1881). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 11 m (36 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is gray metallic. The lighthouse is on the right in Alessandro Mastino's photo at right, Trabas has a good photo, and Ray Caenen has another excellent closeup photo; note the old red south mole light in the background of both photos. In 2009, the mole was extended considerably and the mole light was replaced by a new red tower (next entry); Henry Bauer has a photo showing the new configuration. Google has a satellite view. Located about 150 m (500 ft) from the end of the breakwater (south) mole of Porto Maurizio in the town of Imperia. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ITA-086; EF-1478; Admiralty E1156; NGA 7320. * Porto Maurizio (Imperia) Molo di Ponente (2) 2009. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted red; gallery rail painted white. The lighthouse is on the left in Alessandro Mastino's photo at right and in the background of Henry Bauer's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the extended south mole of Porto Maurizio in Imperia. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. EF-1485; Admiralty E1157.1. * Capo dell'Arma (Punta Verde, San Remo) (2) 1948 (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, centered on the roof of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; the keeper's house is painted white with a black horizontal band encircling the house. Ferrighi has a photo, Trabas also has a good photo, Wikimedia has a good 2010 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Not far east of San Remo, this lighthouse marks a prominent cape. It was rebuilt in 1947-48 after being destroyed during World War II. Located on the point of the cape above the SP-1 coastal highway, about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Arma di Taggia. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen easily from the highway. ARLHS ITA-013; EF-1474; Admiralty E1152; NGA 7316.

Porto Maurizio Molo di Ponente Lights, Imperia, August 2010 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Alessandro Mastino

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted May 1, 2006. Checked and revised February 25, 2013. Lighthouses: 28. Site copyright 2013 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.