Name and Location

The Faro della Diga Curvilinea is a small harbour light marking the southern tip of the curved breakwater (Diga Curvilinea) at the entrance to Porto di Livorno (Livorno Harbour), Tuscany, Italy. Its official address is Via del Molo Mediceo, 57128 Livorno (LI), Italy, with coordinates 43.5429271 N, 10.2893942 E.

Construction and History

The Diga Curvilinea was built in the early 20th century as an extension of the 16th-century Molo Mediceo. The light station itself appears in official Italian Navy (Marina Militare) lists by the mid-20th century. No manned keepers have been stationed here since automation.

Architecture and Materials

The structure is a cylindrical tower mounted on a square concrete base at the end of the breakwater, made from reinforced concrete with metal lantern housing. The tower stands approximately 8 meters high above the concrete platform, with a focal plane roughly 10-12 meters above sea level. The tower is white, while the lantern is painted red.

Light and Navigation

The characteristic of the light is reportedly a red flash or group of flashes every 10-15 seconds. The range is circa 7-8 nautical miles (dependent on lamp intensity and local meteorological conditions). The focal height is ca. 10-12 meters above sea level. The light is fully automated, with no radar reflector or AIS transmitter listed.

Accessibility and Visiting

The breakwater is accessible on foot via Via del Molo Mediceo (weather- and tide-dependent). Visitors must observe local port regulations; no public access inside the lantern. Best visited at low tide and in calm weather; sturdy footwear recommended due to uneven concrete.

Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse stands at the curve of the breakwater, offering panoramic views across the Ligurian Sea and back toward Livorno's harbor and skyline. Nearby attractions include Fortezza Vecchia, Terrazza Mascagni promenade, Naval Academy (Accademia Navale).

Anecdotes and Folklore

Mariners' lore holds that the curved shape of the breakwater was designed to deflect storm waves, making the south-end light crucial for safe entry during rough weather. Until the 1980s keepers used to climb a vertical ladder to reach the lantern; their handwritten logbooks (now archived) record several "blackout" nights during winter gales.

Technical and Operational Details

The managing authority is Marina Militare (Italian Navy), Servizio dei Fari e Segnalamenti Marittimi. The station status is active, unmanned, and fully automated. There is no heritage status separately listed for the lighthouse, but the nearby Molo Mediceo is protected as part of Livorno's seafront heritage.

Further Information

For further reading and links, visit Italian Wikipedia at https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faro_della_Diga_Curvilinea or Marina Militare Lighthouse Service at https://www.marina.difesa.it/cosa-facciamo/per-i-cittadini/fari/Pagine/italia.aspx (search "Livorno").