The Viceroy's tower, which I described in the previous audio, originally only had two floors. At the beginning of the 20th century, a third floor was added, and in more recent times, the three levels were connected by an external stone staircase.

And this occurred because the ancient tower eventually became a lighthouse. We know for certain that in 1777, the tower was manned, and by 1842, it was managed by the Customs Guards of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Later, the Royal Navy decided to use it to mark the position of the very dangerous Ugènto shoals with an oil headlamp. The transformation of the tower into a lighthouse was completed on March 28, 1932.

In 1942, the old headlamp was replaced with an acetylene one mounted on a new masonry structure. In recent times, the lighthouse had become the headquarters of a Guàrdia di Finànza barracks and had come under the management of the Italian Navy.

So, the reason the tower became a lighthouse is related to the transition from a defensive structure to a navigational support structure. These places, once garrisoned, are central for both defense and trade. It's a matter that reflects the geopolitical significance of Italy and Pùglia in the Mediterranean, and which you will find discussed again in other audio tracks on this very guide.