Lighthouses of Italy: Lago di Garda

Most of Italy (officially the Italian Republic, Repubblica Italiana in Italian) occupies a long peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea, with the Adriatic and Ionian Seas on the east and the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas to the west; the country also includes the Mediterranean's two largest islands, Sicily and Sardinia, and many smaller islands. With this geography Italy has a very long coastline reckoned by geographers at about 7600 km (4722 mi). Guarding this coast are many lighthouses; the Directory lists more than 400.

The Lago di Garda is Italy's largest lake, some 51 km (32 mi) long, stretching north to south at the southern edge of the Italian Alps. Portions of the lake lie in the regions of Lombardia, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Veneto. Ferries visit nearly all the towns along the lake, and pleasure boat traffic is heavy in the warmer months.

The Italian word for a lighthouse is faro, plural fari. This name is usually reserved for the larger coastal lights; smaller beacons are often called fanali. In Italian torre is a tower, riva is a shore, and lago is a lake.

General Sources
World of Lighthouses - Italy
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Wikimedia: Lighthouses in Italy
Photos by various photographers available in Wikimedia Commons.
Leuchttürme sder Alpenregion auf Historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Chart for Lago di Garda
Navigational information for the lake.

Desanzano del Garda Light, April 2021
Google Maps photo by Robert Revet
Lighthouses
* Riva del Garda
Date unknown (recent). Active (?); charted by Navionics with a red light. Approx. 23 m (75 ft) concrete tower, with a lantern and gallery mounted on a platform supported by four concrete columns. The lighthouse is a light beige color. Martin Steinthaler has a closeup photo, Matis Rota has a 2017 street view, and Google has a satellite view. Andreas Köhler visited in September 2021 and found the light not active; he has a photo from that visit. Riva del Garda also has a 6 m (20 ft) stone post light on the city waterfront; this light replaced a somewhat more substantial tower seen in Huelse's historic postcard view. The new lighthouse is located at a yacht club. Located in Riva del Garda, at the northern end of the lake in Trentino-Alto Adige. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Fraglia Vela Riva.
* Torre San Marco (Gardone Riviera) (?)
Early 1900s. Apparently inactive (not charted by Navionics). Approx. 25 m (82 ft) square stone tower topped by a round white lantern. Wikimedia has a photo, another photo is available, and Bing has a satellite view. This ornate tower was built by a wealthy German industrialist, Richard Langensiepen. Although the lantern certainly looks like it was added as a navigational aid, no information has been found on the history of the tower as a lighthouse. In recent years it has been renovated as an event space for meetings, weddings, and special events. Located on the lakefront in Gardone Riviera, a resort town on the southwest side of the lake. Site open, tower open to customers of the tower. Owner/site manager: Torre San Marco.
* Moniga dei Garda East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); continuous (?) green light. 4.5 m (14 ft) octagonal building with lantern. Building painted with blue and gray horizontal bands. The light is shown atop the lantern. Andreas Köhler's photo is at right and Google has a street view and a satellite view of the two breakwater lights. Located on the east breakwater of Moniga dei Garda, a resort town on the southwest side of the lake. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed.
* Moniga dei Garda West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); continuous (?) red light. 4.5 m (14 ft) octagonal building with lantern. Building painted with blue and gray horizontal bands. The light is shown atop the lantern. Andreas Köhler's photo is at right and Google has a street view and a satellite view of the two breakwater lights. Located on the east breakwater of Moniga dei Garda, a resort town on the southwest side of the lake. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed.
* Desenzano del Garda
1895. Active; white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted stone with white trim. Robert Revet's photo is at the top of this page, Klaus Rozinat has a 2019 photo, Enrico Pellegrino has a 2011 photo, Ewan McIntosh has a photo, a closeup is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located midway on the breakwater mole at Desenzano del Garda, a town at the southwestern corner of the lake in Lombardia. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Città di Desanzano del Garda. .

East (left) and West Breakwater Lights, Moniga dei Garda, September 2021
photo copyright Andreas Köhler; used by permission
* Peschiera del Garda (Faro del Nord)
Date unknown. Active; red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) lampost-style octagonal tower on a 1-story octagonal base. Andreas Köhler has a 2021 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Peschiera del Garda is a town at the southeastern corner of the lake in Verona; it straddles the outflow from the lake through the river Mincio, a tributary of the Po. Located at the end of the north breakwater at Peschiera. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Comune di Peschiera del Garda.
 

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Venice and Trieste

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Posted August 21, 2006. Checked and revised January 5, 2024. Lighthouses: 6. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.