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Capo Milazzo lighthouse
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The Cape Milazzo Lighthouse: The Story of a Beacon for Mariners.
The Cape Milazzo Lighthouse is one of the most important lighthouses in Sicily, located on the extreme tip of the Milazzo promontory, just a few kilometers from the city's historic center.
Its impressive cylindrical tower, standing at 21 meters tall, dominates the surrounding landscape and offers a spectacular view of the coast and the Aeolian Islands.
The origins of the Cape Milazzo Lighthouse date back to the 16th century when the lantern tower already stood at the end of the Cape. As cartographer Francesco Negro wrote in 1640, this place was known as "la Lanterna" and "San Nicola" because there was also a church dedicated to Saint Nicholas that was later rebuilt in the Baronia area.
Over the centuries, various modification projects have been proposed for the structure of the Cape Milazzo Lighthouse. In 1578, the Sienese engineer Tiburzio Spannocchi suggested making modifications to the tower, while Camillo Camilliani proposed adapting the ancient cylindrical construction into a cistern, incorporating it into a larger tower. However, these projects were never realized, and the lighthouse tower was reinforced with three buttresses.
Over time, in addition to its original function as a lighthouse ("lucerna 'a naviganti"), the Cape Milazzo Lighthouse also served as a "torre di Guardiola" (watchtower). In 1887, it became a semaphore station of the Royal Navy and during World War II, it was adapted as a lookout station for ships and aircraft.
The Cape Milazzo Lighthouse tower is about 21 meters high and is equipped with a lantern with a triple-flashing white light that can be seen at a distance of 17 nautical miles. The lighthouse has a range of 16 nautical miles for the white light and 12 nautical miles for the reserve light.
The Cape Milazzo Lighthouse suffered damage during World War II but was later reconstructed and put back into operation. Today, the lighthouse still serves as a reference point for sailors navigating the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea and represents an important testament to the history of navigation in Sicily.
In conclusion, the Cape Milazzo Lighthouse is an architectural work of great historical and cultural value, as well as an important landmark for mariners. Its tall and imposing cylindrical tower dominates the surrounding landscape and offers a spectacular panoramic view of the coast and the Aeolian Islands.
LEGEND:
The legend concerns the construction of the lighthouse itself.
It is said that during its construction many years ago, the workers faced difficulties in placing the lantern at the top of the tower due to strong gusts of wind that often battered the coast. An skilled artisan then intervened and offered his help to solve the problem. He worked tirelessly throughout the night until the work was completed, but he succumbed to exhaustion and died. It is said that his spirit still watches over the lighthouse lantern, and it is thanks to him that the lighthouse continues to function flawlessly.