Rome's Lighthouse

Map

Faro del Gianicolo

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On October 13th 1929, the architect Manfredo Manfredi (b. 1859, Piacenza) died in Rome.

Manfredi designed the tomb of Victor Emmanuel II (r. 1861-78), the first king of Italy, which stands in the Pantheon. He also designed the lighthouse, a much less grand affair, which stands on the Janiculum Hill (Colle del Gianicolo). 

Lying 15 miles from the sea, Rome may seem a strange location for a lighthouse (faro). However, in 1911, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Kingdom of Italy, a lighthouse was presented to the the nation's capital as a gift from Italian emigrants who had settled in Argentina. 
 
The Faro del Gianicolo, as it is known in Italian, stands 20 metres high and is topped by four lions. The lantern was originally designed to beam out the three colours of the Italian flag on the evenings of national holidays. 

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