Lanterna

La Lanterna  is the main symbol of the city, almost a totem. It is part of the city’s history. Today the light for ships is radiated from a modern light bulb (1000 watt), and amplified by special lenses, allowing it to reach up to 36 nautical miles in the distance.
The lighthouse tower was central to a number of events: it was partly destroyed in 1507 during conflicts between the French under Louis XII and the Aragonese, in 1514 it was inserted in the fortress of the “bridle”, it was reconstructed in 1543 so that it reach 117 meters in height (375 stairs to get to the top!), it was included in the belt of the New Wall built in the six-hundreds (1629/1632).
The lighthouse, built on the hill on the promontory of San Benigno is sixty-six metres tall and the oldest functioning lighthouse in the world. At the end of the XX century it became a tourist destination that can be reached by a scenic walk that was constructed for the purpose and which “exploits” along a few stretches the old 17th century walls which held up the access road to the city.
Around the lantern there are also a number of Savoy fortifications and the scenic walk is an occasion, not only to see them up close and visit the light house, to observe with a “privileged eye” the inside of the port of Genova and its activities.

Elaboration of data and information taken from www.comune.genova.it; www.apt.genova.it; www.wikipedia.it