Name and Location

The Faro della Diga Foranea, also known as the Viareggio Breakwater Light, marks the outer end of the main breakwater (Molo Marinai d’Italia) in the Gulf of Viareggio, on Italy’s northern Tuscan coast. The lighthouse is located at Molo Marinai d’Italia, 2242, 55049 Viareggio (LU), Tuscany, Italy.

Construction and History

The Faro della Diga Foranea has no officially documented construction date. It serves as a major navigational aid for vessels entering and leaving Viareggio’s harbor. The lighthouse is fully automated and has no resident keepers since its commissioning.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse features a cylindrical tower on a square plinth, set at the end of a stone breakwater. It is constructed from reinforced concrete with masonry facing, typical of 20th-century Italian breakwater lights. The height of the tower above ground level is 30 meters.

Light and Navigation

The light characteristic is a group flashing white light, one flash every 5 seconds (Fl W 5 s), detailed sequence: 0.3 s flash + 4.7 s eclipse. The nominal range is 22 M, with a reserve light at 18 M – private sector installation. The lighthouse serves as a major light on nautical charts of the Ligurian Sea.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse itself is not open to the public, but the breakwater promenade is freely accessible on foot. Visitors can reach the lighthouse by following the waterfront promenade westward past the marina to Molo Marinai d’Italia.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the lighthouse, visitors can enjoy a 360° panorama over the Ligurian Sea, the Apuan Alps to the north, and the Viareggio skyline to the east. Nearby attractions include Viareggio’s historic seafront, the Liberty-style “Passeggiata,” the Cittadella del Carnevale, yacht club and restaurants along the pier.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is monitored remotely via the local port authority’s traffic control center. Maintenance visits are performed by harbour works crews. The lighthouse has an AIS transceiver with MMSI 992471021 (category: AIS base station) but no fixed radar installation publicly recorded.

Further Information

(Note: This section does not contain any additional information as per the provided data.)