“Il Fanale” ( The Lighthouse)
History says that:
It was built in 1302 by the Pisa Republic both as a lighthose and for coastal defence, after the Meloria tower had been destryed in 1286 by the Genovese, following their victory over Pisa in 1284. The design is attributed to Giovanni Pisano, while we are sure of the names of the master masons, found inscribed on a stone at the base of the tower – Nocco Entello De Spina and Bonaggiunta Ciabatti:
The lighthouse was built in stone from the quarry at San Giuliano, with a wide conical base which – just as today, appears to support twwo crenellated columns, one on top of the other, in actual fact, they consisted of seven cylinders of progressively diminishing diameters. The top was reached by a winding staircase, the various landings set with windows. The lighthouse, includine the beacon, was 51 metres tall.
In 1583, Grand-duke Francesco I ordered the building of a Lazzaretto and then warehouses.
Dante Alighieri, Petrarca and others mentioned the lighthouse in their writhings. It was destroyed on 20 June 1944 by German bombs, and later rebuilt. It was inaugurated on 16 September 1956 as part of celebrations for the 350° anniversary of Livorno’s proclamation as a city.