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The Lighthouse "Lanterna" on the roadway of Genova
The new Promenade for the Lanterna

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by Bruno Cervetto

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“ O Genovese lighthouse, they have placed you in a corner, you are alone, far from your road”. Such, went a stanza, recited in an old Genovese song. That of an isolated lighthouse far from it’s road isn’t a metaphor, instead it is a reality, a bittersweet reality, according to those who believe that the environmental identity of a place is tied to the development of its economic possibilities. That solitary jut, from which the Beacon emerges – today surrounded by the activities of the port and unfortunately also by the less noble activity of container storage and goods transportation, truly a lowly business - it’s not a geological emergences, but what remains of the Promontory of Capodifaro or San Benigno, which closed Genova to the west, dividing it from Sampierdarena. The western road which led to Genova, travelled along the coastal edge of S. Pietro d’Arena – an area of suburban villas, which in a large part still exist today among the chaos of a building sprawl which between the XIX and XX centuries disrupted the area – then skirted the west side of the Promontory of Capodifaro and extended towards the Lighthouse

Arriving at the base of the Lighthouse, the road then took a 90° turn east and crosses through the so called “Passage”, which was a trench realized between the Lighthouse and the Promontory. Once through the trench the road continued on its way towards Genova following along the eastern side of the Promontory, supported by the 7th century walls which were mentioned above. After a couple hundred meters, the road entered the city through what was called the “The Old Lighthouse Gate”, which was a sophisticated defense system, consisting of a drawbridge, a small piazza, and a reinforced door.









Today only a few images, from the last century, remain of this ancient door, which was demolished before it could be returned to its location in contrast to the Gates of S. Stefano and Pila which were restored to their original sites.







Moreover at the beginning of the XIX century, this gate was replaced with the “New Gate” designed by the Savoy Army Lieutenant Domenico Chiodo, and was placed directly below the Lighthouse at the edge of the “Passage”. This construction was in marble and grey stone, and surrounded by fortifications intended to house the garrison troops which provided protection from military attacks. Also its form of two vaults, topped by the crest of Carlo Alberto, indicated that even then Genova was no longer under its own rule, but was govern by the Savoy, which dictated architectural choices that differed from those traditionally used for the gates of the city. Towards the end of the XIX century, there arose new transport requirements, which required passing through the Promontory of S. Benigno with trains and trams tunnels; thus the hill between Genova and Sampierdarena, became an obstruction, dividing two cities which were by now under the same administration, slowly excavation of the hill was started so as to construct from its stones new works in the port. With the realization of the “Albertazzi Plan”,1929 the port was enlarged towards the west through constructing of the Sampierdarena basin, finally it was decided to completely demolish the hill, leaving only that which can be seen today, a solitary jutting into the middle of the quays.

What remains today around the Lighthouse?

The destruction of the S. Benigno hill, the realization of several tunnels, the construction of the elevated highway (Sopraelevata) into the port in the 1970’s, have seriously compromised the sites which were mentioned above. Luckily, hidden away and almost forgotten, below the Lighthouse there can still be found sufficient remains of these historical constructions. The Gate of Chiodo is still intact, even if it has been turn around 90 degrees in respect to its original position: originally located across the street axis, today it is leaned up against the fortifications which once flanked it, also preserved are the fortifications which contain seven large interior rooms; as well as a section of the road corresponding to the “Lighthouse Roadway ” just north of the gate’s fortifications. Continuing northwest are the 7th century walls which supported the access road to Genova, once they directly faced the sea, but today they look overlook the wharf and the quay.

As a result of these surviving historical constructions (almost forgotten, because of past use as a dumping site and the overgrowth of vegetation.) the Provincia of Genova has launched a recovery project for the Lighthouse to be used as a public area. It’s obvious to say that as a result of this isolation it was virtually impossible to approach the area. In 1996 the Provincia of Genova was able to secure from the and from the State Property Office and the Navy a sub-concession for the Lighthouse, so as to open it to visitors; the real problem was how to provide visitors access to the area. The Lighthouse is located inside a fenced area controlled by the port customs office, a situation which would require individuals to present some form of authorization before be able to enter; also along the wharf area there are carried out a number of activities which would present a hazard to pedestrians (train circulation, trucks, self-propelled cranes) thus constricting visitors movement to buses.
The means of access which would have been the most enjoyable as well as the most secure was the use of a boat which would have left from the Old Port, dropping passengers off on a wharf, where they would have been picked up by a bus service which would then carry them a few hundred meters to their final destination. Enjoyable, because the visitors would have had the sense of landing on a kind of “Island for the Lighthouse” but certainly also arduous trip. The idea to create an alternative route, which would passed over the wharf, and thus remains outside of the activities of the port was realized after the creation of a prevision in the new Port Regulatory Plan: that allowed for the creation of autonomous footbridge to the Lighthouse connecting along the way the surviving historical structures, which were mentioned above.

The Promenade, the Urban Park, the Lighthouse Museum The new Promenade starts by the enclosure walls of the Hotel Columbus-Sea, providing visitor with car parking at the adjacent Ferry Terminal parking area. The Promenade carries on for about a 100 meters on a raised footbridge constructed of wood and iron, then enters a rest area provided with trees and benches, carrying on for about another 100 meters one can find the “The Old Lighthouse Gate” and the defense systems. The Promenade then extends out again, for about 400 meters, supported in part by the surviving 7th century walls which supported the old access road to Genova. A bridge of about 80 meters extends the area where the walls have been demolished to give room to the elevated highway into the port, thus bringing us to the access ramp of the Lighthouse: from which there is a 150 meter assent to the Savoy Fortification – where within a year’s time there will be opened the Museum for the Genovese Fortification and the adjacent Urban Park dominated by the Chiodo Gate. The summit of the fortifications has also been transformed into a park in addition the entire access road to the Lighthouse has been redone in cobblestone. “The Promenade” is obliviously not only destined for visitors to the Lighthouse: its real purpose is to make the area of the Lighthouse a part of the city, to which anyone can have free access, in morning and evening hours similar the other city public parks, but also to provide in the evening an area for public gatherings. “The Promenade” also provides a kind of balcony over the port activities, permitting visitors to view port works which normally can not be seen; a series of signs also provide visitors with information on the ways and means of loading and unloading goods which have taken place over the centuries.

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