Vittoria Light
Vittoria Light (Italian: Faro della Vittoria) also known as the Victory Lighthouse, is an active lighthouse in Trieste, Italy, serving the Gulf of Trieste. It is located on the hill of Gretta (Poggio di Gretta), off the Strada del Friuli. At a height of 223 feet (68 m) it is one of the tallest lighthouses in the world.[6]
History
The idea to raise a monument in the vicinity arose during
Work started only in 1923 and ended on May 24, 1927, with the inauguration in the presence of King
The structure celebrates the Italian victory and commemorates the fallen of the first world war, as testified by the inscription "SPLENDI E RICORDA I CADUTI SUL MARE MCMXV-MCMXVIII" (shine and remind of the fallen on sea 1915–1918).[4]
In 1979 the lighthouse was closed for restoration for seven years, and was reopened to the public May 18, 1986.[8]
Structure
The large base of the lighthouse includes the earthwork of the Austrian fort. The bottom of structure is covered by stone from
Above the column is a capital and a crow's nest, in which the bronze crystal cage of the lantern is inserted. The cage is topped by a copper dome with a scale-like motif, on top of which is the 7.2 metres (24 ft) statue of winged victory by sculptor Giovanni Mayer, made of embossed copper and weighing about 7 tonnes (6.9 long tons; 7.7 short tons).[8]
A 8.6 metres (28 ft) statue of a seaman, also by sculptor Giovanni Mayer, adorns the front of the lighthouse, made from 100 tonnes (98 long tons; 110 short tons) of stone from Vrsar, under which is the anchor of the destroyer Audace, the first Italian ship to enter the port of Trieste on November 3, 1918, is attached. Two projectiles of the Austrian battleship SMS Viribus Unitis are placed on both sides of the lighthouse entry.
The light itself is an electrical light since its first lighting. The current light is a 1000 watt halogen bulb.[7]
Visiting
The site of the lighthouse is open to the public. The lighthouse itself is open Saturday and Sunday 3 pm to 7 pm, from the last Saturday of April to the second Sunday of October.[8] Reaching the top requires climbing 285 steps.[7]
See also
- List of tallest lighthouses in the world
- List of lighthouses in Italy
Notes
- ^ According to "Provincia di Trieste". "Victory lighthouse - Trieste" and "Spifferi di Trieste" have 68.85 m. List of Lights has 223 feet (68 m).
- ^ According to "Provincia di Trieste". "Victory lighthouse - Trieste" has 116m. List of Lights has 378 feet (115 m).
- ^ "Faro della Vittoria". Marina Militare. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "Victory lighthouse - Trieste". qsl.net. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Italy: Venice and Trieste". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "The Tallest Lighthouses". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- ^ a b c d "Spifferi di Trieste: I record del dongiovanni allampanato" [Notes of Trieste: The records of the lanky playboy]. spifferiditrieste.blogspot.com (in Italian). Retrieved 9 August 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Faro della Vittoria - Provincia di Trieste". provincia.trieste.it (in Italian). Retrieved 9 August 2010.
References
- List of Lights, Pub. 113: The West Coasts of Europe and Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Azovskoye More (Sea of Azov) (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2009. p. 201.
- Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Italy: Venice and Trieste". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
External links
- Official website
- Servizio Fari Marina Militare (in Italian)