Name and Location

The Capo Mannu Lighthouse, also known as Faro di Capo Mannu, is located in San Vero Milis (OR), Sardinia, Italy. The coordinates are 40°02′06″ N, 8°22′38″ E, and the lighthouse can be found on Google Maps at https://www.google.com/maps?q=40.0351005,8.3779527.

Construction and History

The Capo Mannu Lighthouse is an active coastal lighthouse managed by the Italian Navy Lighthouse Service (Marina Militare), identification code “E 1112”. It was likely built in the post-World War II era as a replacement for earlier beacons, although the exact date of construction is unrecorded. The lighthouse has been fully automated since the late 20th century and does not have resident keepers.

Architecture and Materials

The structure of the Capo Mannu Lighthouse is a cylindrical tower made of reinforced concrete, typical of mid-20th-century rebuilding. The focal plane is at an elevation of 59 meters above sea level.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse emits a group-flash of three white flashes every 15 seconds (Fl (3) W 15 s), with a sequence of flash 1.5 s – eclipse 2 s – flash 1.5 s – eclipse 2 s – flash 1.5 s – eclipse 6.5 s. The light range is nominal 15 nautical miles and reserve range 11 M.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse grounds are open year-round, but the tower and lantern room are closed to visitors. There is a small parking lot and a 300-meter path leads from there to the base of the tower. No on-site visitor facilities are available.

Notable Views and Landscape

The Capo Mannu Lighthouse stands sentinel above rugged cliffs that drop to churning surf, exposed to mistral and west winds, creating world-class conditions for wind-surfing and kitesurfing. The site hosts an annual international wind-surfing event, drawing athletes to its consistently strong offshore breezes.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Capo Mannu is a reference point in Sardinian maritime folklore – ancient fishermen spoke of the cliffs as a haven from southern gales. The site has been a landmark for centuries, with local stories passing down through generations about its importance for navigation.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is fully automated and continues to serve as a daymark and nighttime aid for small-craft traffic rounding Sardinia's western promontories.

Further Information

For further information, please consult the Italian Nautical Chart: IGM 55 (Oristano West), International Chart: IHO D 50, Marina Militare Lighthouse List: ID E 1112, or U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, “Pub. 113 – List of Lights, Mediterranean and Black Sea,” 2010 edition.

Nearby Attractions

• Cala Domestica and Porto Botte (beaches in a small bay south of Capo Mannu)
• Nuragic archaeological sites inland at San Vero Milis
• Bosa, a well-preserved medieval town some 40 km to the south