Name and Location

The Faro della Vittoria, also known as the Lighthouse of Victory, is located in Turin (Colle della Maddalena park), Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy. Its address is Viale Carso 174, with coordinates 45°01′52.2″ N, 7°43′17.9″ E.

Construction and History

The Faro della Vittoria was inaugurated in 1928 as a memorial to the fallen of World War I. It was commissioned by the municipal government of Turin and designed and sculpted by Edoardo Rubino (1884-1964). The monument was erected on Colle della Maddalena, a panoramic hill overlooking the city, to symbolize Italy's victory and remembrance of its war dead.

Architecture and Materials

The Faro della Vittoria is a monumental 20th-century sculpture-architecture, blending Art Deco proportions with classical allegorical forms. The structure features a reinforced concrete core faced in white marble and granite, with the statue itself carved in marble. It stands at a height of 18.5 meters (tower), plus a sculptural figure of Victory atop, bringing the total height to approximately 21 meters.

Light and Navigation

Although built as a "lighthouse," the Faro della Vittoria never served for maritime navigation. Its "lantern" chamber originally housed an electric lamp as a symbolic beacon. Currently, there is no active light, nor are there any AIS or radar installations. The monument is non-functional as a navigational aid.

Accessibility and Visiting

The monument's interior staircase is closed to visitors, but the park surrounding it is open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Visitors can access the park via car, public transport (bus lines 34 and 36), or on foot along a panoramic pedestrian trail. Admission is free, with no entrance fee.

Notable Views and Landscape

The hilltop offers panoramic 360° views over Turin, the Po Valley, and, on clear days, the Western Alps—including Monviso and the Matterhorn silhouette. The landscaped area features lawns, walking paths, benches, and informational plaques on First World War sites.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local folklore holds that on clear winter nights the statue's torch can be seen glowing—an effect of distant city lights reflecting off its white marble. Additionally, annual ceremonies are held on November 4 (National Unity and Armed Forces Day) and November 11 (Armistice Day).

Technical and Operational Details

The managing authority is the Municipality of Turin – Cultural Heritage and Parks Department.

Further Information

For further reading and references, consult the Italian Wikipedia page "Faro della Vittoria (Torino)" or the Comune di Torino – PapUM Cultural Heritage Portal.