Capo Murro di Porco lighthouse, Lighthouse in Syracuse, Italy
Capo Murro di Porco lighthouse is an octagonal concrete tower about 20 meters tall that rises on a headland near Syracuse. It features a lantern room and a single-story keeper's house, functioning as a navigation aid for vessels crossing the Ionian Sea.
The structure was built in 1859 during the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies as a key development in maritime safety along the coast. Its construction coincided with a broader effort to equip Italian waters with modern navigation aids.
The lighthouse stands as a representation of Italian maritime architecture from the 19th century, with its white masonry structure against the Mediterranean backdrop.
The lighthouse is automated and can be viewed from outside, with the headland surroundings offering the best vantage point. The site is best reached on foot from the coastal road and works well to visit during fair weather.
The lighthouse gained worldwide attention in 2020 when a photograph showing it during a rare planetary alignment was selected as Photo of the Day by a major space agency. This cosmic coincidence turned it into an unexpectedly notable subject in astrophotography.
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