North of Gallipoli, about a kilometer and a half from the mainland, is the island of Sant ‘Andrea, which covers about 5 hectares and is completely flat. Not far away, there is a tiny tongue of land protruding, also known as Scoglio della Nova.
It has been known since the times of the Messapian domination, which they called Achtotus (Arid Land), and is a site of considerable archaeological importance with settlements from the Bronze Age.
In 1866 the mobile lighthouse was built to help fishermen during storms, now operating automatically through solar panels that power a large lamp capable of illuminating up to twenty nautical miles. It was completely renovated between 2005 and 2006 at the behest of the Ministry of Defense.
It is particularly admired during the first light of the morning and during sunset, as you can also see in the image proposed below. The presence of the lighthouse is already visible from a long way off the coast. The island is just over three meters high above sea level so that during the winter storms it remains completely at the mercy of the elements.
Today it is part of the Isola di Sant’Andrea and Punta Pizzo Coastal Natural Park established in 2006 and can no longer be freely docked by boats, unless organized visits.