Genova lighthouse

Item: 1263
Genova, Italia - C. XII
Scale: 1/160
Approx. Nº of pieces: 4.300
Difficulty degree: 7.5/10
Sizes (Mm.): 590 x 390 x 635

The monument and its history

In the 8th century BC, and below the castle hill (castrum), on finding a natural port protected from the wind, an inhabited settlement developed in the Mandracciona bay that enabled seafaring activities to take place.

The city of Genoa gradually grew around the castle hill and spread out, above all, towards the west. The natural port remained protected by the old jetty, still visible today.

According to an unofficial source, in 1128 the first tower was built, not quite as tall as the present one but with a similar structure. An 11th-century document, one of the first chronicles of the recently created province of Genoa, provides information about the existence of a signalling and surveillance tower but not its precise date of construction. The first lantern was probably installed in 1326 and appears in the design of the cover of the manual of the "Salvatori del Porto".

In 1500 a new pier was built, an engineering work. Around 1513, the lighthouse was the centre of negotiations regarding the French occupation as a centre of control over the link between land and sea. In those times its light did no more than assist the sailors. In 1543 the construction was enlarged, using 200 tons of lime and 160 extra metres of stone that was taken from the sea. An iron cross was also added to the cupola.
In the 17th century the building was connected to the city walls as a defensive port barrier against storms.

The "spider", whose light has a range of 27 nautical miles, is situated at a height of 117 metres above sea level and is one of the most-visited spots by tourists, since from the terrace of the second tower the entire gulf of the coast can be taken in.
The Lanterna di Genova is the symbol of the city and a postcard image for all of Liguria.

Coordinates: 44°22′ N 8°54′ E