Faro di Capo Vaticano
JR9H+QJ, 89866 Capo Vaticano, Province of Vibo Valentia, Italy
Name and Location
The Faro di Capo Vaticano, also known as the Capo Vaticano Lighthouse, is an active coastal lighthouse located on the westernmost promontory of Calabria on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The official address is Viale Giuseppe Berto, JR9H+QJ, 89866 Capo Vaticano, Ricadi (VV), Calabria, Italy, and its coordinates are 38°37′10″ N, 15°49′43″ E.
Construction and History
The Faro di Capo Vaticano was commissioned in the late 19th century and entered service in October 1884 under the Regia Marina. It remained operational until around 1975, when it was fully automated. The lighthouse is listed and maintained by the Italian Navy (Marina Militare) and protected as a historic man-made maritime structure.
Architecture and Materials
The Faro di Capo Vaticano has a typical late-Ottocento "lampada di segnalazione" design, with a cylindrical tower 12 meters high, a gallery, and a green-topped lantern. The tower is attached to a two-storey keeper's house rendered white. The materials used are white-painted rubble-stone and brick masonry bound with lime mortar, along with cast-iron for the lantern.
Light and Navigation
The lighthouse has a focal plane of 98 meters above sea level, and its light source is an LED beacon installed in modern times. The light characteristic is Fl W 5 s (one white flash every 5 seconds), with a nominal range of 23 nautical miles (approximately 43 kilometers). The Admiralty number is E2000, NGA list: 2236, and Italian chart: ICH 813.
Accessibility and Visiting
The lighthouse compound is fenced and not open to interior visits. However, the headland and external base are freely accessible on foot. Visitors can reach the site by following SP63 south from Ricadi, parking near Torre di Capo Vaticano, and walking the coastal path (approximately 10 minutes). There are no ticket or guided tour available.
Notable Views and Landscape
The surrounding area offers panoramic vistas over the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the Aeolian Islands (Stromboli, Panarea, Lipari) rising on the horizon. Sharp limestone cliffs descend to coves of white sand and clear waters, popular for snorkeling and sunset viewing.
Anecdotes and Folklore
Local fishermen credit the "green-capped light" with saving lives during sudden autumn gales. In summer evenings, residents still recall the last keeper's sayings: "Guardate la luce, custodisce la rotta" ("Watch the light—she keeps the course").
Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse is fully automated and monitored remotely by the Marina Militare, Servizio dei Fari e Segnalamenti Marittimi. There is no radar installation or AIS transmitter onsite.
Further Information
- Marina Militare – Faro di Capo Vaticano: https://www.marina.difesa.it/...
- The Lighthouse Directory, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Italy: https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/italy.htm
- Nautical Chart ICH 813 – Golfo di Sant'Eufemia to Capo Spartivento
Details
| Name | Faro di Capo Vaticano |
|---|---|
| City | Ricadi |
| Country | Italy |
| Coordinates | 38.61945, 15.828691 |
| Year of construction | 1884 |
| Events | Local fishermen credit the “green-capped light” with saving lives during sudden autumn gales. |
| Stories | Local fishermen credit the “green-capped light” with saving lives during sudden autumn gales. In summer evenings, residents still recall the last keeper’s sayings: “Guardate la luce, custodisce la rotta” (“Watch the light—she keeps the course”). |
| Architectural style | 19th-century utilitarian maritime |
| Construction material | {"materials":["White-painted rubble-stone and brick masonry","lime mortar","cast-iron lantern"]} |
| Focal height | 98 |
| Tower height | 12 |
| Heritage status | true |
| Access description | From the SS18 state road at Ricadi, follow SP63 south to Capo Vaticano; park near Torre di Capo Vaticano and walk the coastal path (~10 min). |
| Accessible | true |
| View description | Panoramic vistas over the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the Aeolian Islands (Stromboli, Panarea, Lipari) rising on the horizon. |
| Guided tours | false |
| Nearby attractions | ["Grotticelle Beaches","Santa Maria Beach and Capo Vaticano Promontory coastal trails","Historic tower of Torre Ruffa"] |
| Light characteristic | "Fl W 5 s" |
| Light range | 23.2 |
| Automated | true |