Name and Location

The Faro di Punta Tagliamento, also known locally as "Faro di Bibione," stands at the mouth of the Tagliamento river on Italy's Adriatic coast. The lighthouse is located at Via del Faro, 1, 30028 Bibione (San Michele al Tagliamento), Metropolitan City of Venice, Veneto, Italy, with coordinates 45°38′10.6″ N, 13°05′51.1″ E.

2. Construction and History

The Faro di Punta Tagliamento was constructed in 1913, just before World War I, to mark the new breakwater at the Tagliamento estuary. The lighthouse was darkened during wartime operations from 1915 to 1918 and restored to full service shortly thereafter.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Faro di Punta Tagliamento is an early 20th-century masonry tower with a tapered cylindrical shaft, balcony, and lantern room attached to a single-storey keeper's house. The structure is made of white-washed brick and concrete, standing at a height of 42 meters above base and a focal height of 22 meters above mean sea level.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse has a characteristic group flashing white light every ten seconds (Fl(3) W, period 10 s). The nominal range is 15 nautical miles, with a reserve range indicated as 11 M on the pier head light. The original installation used a first-order Fresnel lens, later upgraded to a rotating beacon.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse tower is closed to the public. Visitors can walk the pier and enjoy panoramic views of the Tagliamento delta, Adriatic beach at Bibione, and the nearby pine wood ("Pineta del Faro"). Access is by car or bus to Via del Faro, then on foot along the breakwater. Visiting is free of charge.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding environment offers adjacent fine sandy beaches and seaside resort facilities. Visitors can also explore the "Vallevecchia" nature reserve and inland cycle paths along the river embankments. Nearby are cafés, picnic areas, and coastal bird-watching hides.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Locals affectionately call it simply "Faro di Bibione," and at dusk, it's a favored spot for joggers and photographers. It is likely that during World War II the lighthouse underwent blackout drills and minor damage, although no formal records are available.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is automated (date of automation not publicly recorded). The managing authority is the Italian Navy Lighthouse Service (Servizio Fari – Marina Militare). AIS and radar installations on site support vessel traffic monitoring. The lighthouse remains active as a coastal major light.

9. Further Information