The Lanterna of Genoa, an Italian lighthouse landmark

The Lighthouse of Genoa, called Lanterna, is a symbol for the city.

At a height of 77 metres (with a focal height of 117 metres), it is the tallest lighthouse in the Mediterranean Sea and the second tallest in Europe (the first is on 82.5 metres tall on Île Vierge, France).

The current tower was built in 1543, but there has been a lighthouse on the site since the 12th century. The lighthouse was modernised and restored during the 20th century and has been open to the public since 1994.

The Lanterna Museum is adjacent to the tower, within the fortifications of the walls of Genoa.

Established in 2006, the museum covers the history of Genoa and its port. The museum exhibits lanterns, lenses and technical instruments to show the workings of the lighthouse and its evolution over time. A collection, dating from the 19th and 20th centuries, describes the various constituent parts of a lighting system with rotating optics for naval signalling. 

The collection of technical instruments includes lenses, headlights, flashers, exchangers and valves. All the instruments dated to the first half of the 20th century. Some of them are from the first quarter of the century, before modern electrification (1936).

One of the most ancient and interesting objects is an instrument from the first quarter of the 20th century that uses the Fresnel lens, a type of composite compact lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.

This blog post is a part of the Europeana Common Culture project, which explores varied aspects of our shared cultural heritage across Europe.