Name and Location

The Isola del Giglio Lighthouse, commonly known as Faro Giglio, is an active coastal light situated on the eastern flank of Isola del Giglio, a small island off the Tuscan coast in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The lighthouse is located at Via Provinciale Castello, 58012 Isola del Giglio (GR), Tuscany, Italy, with coordinates 42°22′32.5″ N, 10°53′52.5″ E.

Construction and History

The official name of the lighthouse is Faro di Isola del Giglio. The exact date of construction is undocumented, but it is likely to be from the late 19th or early 20th century, during Italy's national lighthouse expansion era. The architect and style are unknown, but the utilitarian masonry tower is typical of Italian mid-century aids to navigation.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse has a rendered brick or stone tower, painted white, with a tapered cylindrical shaft and gallery railing. The exact height of the tower is unknown, but it is estimated to be around 8-12 meters above the base.

Light and Navigation

The light range of the Faro Giglio Lighthouse is not officially published, but similar local lights have a range of 10-15 nautical miles. The characteristic of the light is not readily available, but it is likely to be a flashing white light. The lighthouse uses an automated rotating or LED lantern under a metal dome.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse can be accessed via a paved but narrow coastal road from Giglio Castello. The last few hundred meters require walking over rocky paths. However, the tower and lantern are not open to the public for entry. Instead, visitors can enjoy excellent vantage points from the roadside platform, with panoramas of Porto di Giglio, the Argentario promontory, and the open sea.

Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse is perched on a rocky promontory above a narrow coastal road, offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Visitors can see the medieval fortifications above (Giglio Castello), small fishing coves beneath the cliff, and hiking trails to Punta del Capel Rosso.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local fishermen speak of the light guiding them safely home during sudden southerly gales ("libeccio"). While there are no major shipwrecks specifically tied to this lighthouse, its importance in maritime history is evident. The former keepers of the lighthouse have left behind no documented memoirs.

Technical and Operational Details

The managing authority for the Faro Giglio Lighthouse is Marina Militare (Italian Navy), Lighthouse Service (Servizio dei fari ed Ausili alla Navigazione). The lighthouse has been automated since the 1970s-1980s. There are no known installations of AIS or radar on site; the structure is purely a visual aid.

Further Information

For more information, visitors can consult Marina Militare – Elenco dei Fari Italiani (Italian Navy official list), Touring Club Italiano's "Guide to the Tuscan Isles" for on-site maps and trail descriptions, or regional heritage inventories (Provincia di Grosseto).