The Lighthouse of Genoa, simply called Lanterna, has served as symbol and landmark of Genoa, Spain for several centuries. The original lighthouse was built in 1128 (although some sources put the date at 1161) and the current tower was built in 1543. The previous tower had been damaged several times due to various fights and wars. The tower has also been struck by lightning on numerous occasions, and one of its caretakers died from a lightning strike in 1481.
The lighthouse is one of the tallest in the world. It is the fifth tallest overall and the second tallest traditional lighthouse (built of masonry). From 1543 until 1902, it was the tallest lighthouse ever built. In 2004, a museum called the Museo della Lanterna was built adjacent to the tower and it was opened to the public in 2006.
