The Genoa Lanterna is the city’s harbour lighthouse and is considered by many to be the symbol of Liguria’s main city. Long regarded as an essential navigation tool, the Genoa Lanterna was particularly vital for vessels entering and leaving the city’s port.
First built in 1128 but then reconstructed in 1543, the Lanterna stands 70 metres high and sits at an altitude of 117 metres (including the rock on which it is built). This makes the Lanterna the tallest maritime lighthouse in both Italy and the Mediterranean, second in Europe only to the Phare de l’Île Vierge, located in France.
Genoa’s Lanterna lighthouse is a square-based tower constructed from natural stone quarried from the Carignano caves. It comprises two storeys, each with a terrace at its summit. At the tower’s upper extremity sits the lantern itself, and reaching it requires climbing a stone staircase of 365 steps in total.
The Genoa Lanterna is now an essential stop for anyone visiting Liguria’s main city, as it forms part of the city’s history. Inside the tower, visitors can climb on foot as far as the first panoramic terrace to enjoy views across the city and surrounding area.
There are 172 steps to reach the first viewing level, whilst the upper section of the tower is not open to the public as it is occupied by the Italian Navy. At the base of the building, you can visit the Lanterna Museum, a multimedia venue showcasing stories, images and testimonies about Genoa’s history.
The lighthouse stands on a rock roughly 40 metres high, which was once the furthest point of the San Benigno promontory. This is no longer the case due to continuous harbour expansion projects.
As a result, the lighthouse’s position has gradually shifted inland relative to the sea, and the tower now sits surrounded by the port’s extensive quays. To reach the Lanterna, you must follow a pedestrian path approximately 800 metres long, which starts from the Ferry Terminal and crosses Genoa’s seventeenth and nineteenth-century fortifications.
The Genoa Lanterna is open to the public during the following hours: Friday to Sunday (and all public holidays) from 10:00 to 18:00, with the last entry at 17:30. In the event of bad weather, orange weather alerts and/or storms, visits to the lighthouse are suspended.
The ticket prices for entry to the Lanterna are as follows:
If you wish, alongside the Lanterna you can also visit the Aquarium, Genoa’s most celebrated attraction, with a combined ticket that will allow you to save on overall admission costs.
The Genoa Lanterna is a site that can be reached only on foot. To visit it, you must walk along the path that starts near the car park at the Ferry Terminal and extends approximately 800 metres across the port quays.
You can reach the Ferry Terminal by car or public transport. Those travelling by car will find parking right at the start of the walkway. This is free for two and a half hours if you purchase something at the bar or shop at one of the Gallery’s retailers.
If you prefer to arrive using public transport, you can use the metro or bus services. The nearest metro station is Dinegro, whilst for buses you can use the Dinegro/Ferry Terminal and Francia/Matitone stops.
Various historical records indicate that from the twelfth century, Genoa had a tower that served to spot the arrival of vessels at the port, particularly to spot enemy ships. Over time, this became a lighthouse tower that also served to guide sailors to the port entrance, and from the early fourteenth century an olive oil lantern was installed.
In the fifteenth century, the tower was converted into a prison for a number of years, where the King of Cyprus was also held. Unfortunately, in 1513 the French besieged Genoa’s port and during this battle the Lanterna was severely damaged. It was not until 1543 that the Lanterna was rebuilt thanks to Doge Andrea Centurione Pietrasanta, who asked the Bank of San Giorgio to finance the works.
It was precisely during this period that the Genoa Lanterna acquired its current appearance. Since then, the Lanterna has endured several difficult times, including the naval bombardment by the Sun King at the end of the seventeenth century, the Portoria uprising and the bombardments of the Second World War, yet it has survived to reach us intact.
The Lanterna of Genoa stands on a rocky outcrop within Genoa's port area, at the eastern edge of the Sampierdarena district.
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