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The Lantern of the capital city of Liguria is its symbol. Consisting of a tower built on two square sections, its history is embedded with that of Genoa.
The lantern was allegedly built in 1128 AD, on a strip of shore overlooked by some other impressive buildings.
In 1316, it became a lighthouse, but a few years later it was severely damaged by the war between the two factions of Guelphs and Ghibellines. Later on, the original oil lantern was restored, then, in 1340, the coat of arms of the city, painted Evangelist of Milan, was installed.

The lantern was then a silent protagonist of many events. For instance, it was used also as a prison, while it finally got its current appearance only in 1543. Since that year, the Renaissance style has not undergone any major change, except for technical improvements or innovations.

On the top of the 389 ft tower, there’s a system of lenses visible from up to 26 nautical miles (about 57 km).
In addition, being so close to Genoa’s Cristoforo Colombo airport, another lens system has been installed, projecting beams of light also upwards.

The lighthouse is currently managed by the Italian Navy and used for navigation support.
On the other hand, the Lantern, as a monument, is managed by the Province of Genoa through the “Young Urbanists Association – Labò Foundation”, which regularly opens it to the public, while taking care of maintenance and the surrounding city park.

As a testament to the history of this place and its very link to the city, the Lantern Museum was completed in 2006.
It can be easily reached taking Genova-Ovest motorway exit. There, visitors will find a wealth of multimedia resources to learn more about the very history of a place so much cherished by the locals.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)