The watchtowers of San Vito’s coast

Ancient watchtowers, built to peer the horizon and defend the coast from pirate attacks.

Built according to precise rules, the towers had a defensive and sighting function to signal the dangers coming from the sea. Most of them were built at the end of the sixteenth century, designed by the architect Camillo Camilliani.

The location of the fortresses was chosen so that the military could have the best view also towards the horizon, so as to promptly launch alarm signals to nearby strongholds.

Starting from the provincial road that runs along San Vito lo Capo, the first rises in the locality of Makari stronghold: the Isulidda tower, a square tower built with plastered stone, has access to the mountain. The rocks on which the stronghold stands become during the month of October a stage for “ free climbing ”.

Near the port of San Vito lo Capo stands the Torrazzo tower which has a circular shape as an expression of domination Arab. Its approximately forty-meter structure, in sandstone, was built for surveillance there tonnara, whose nets were lowered into the waters where the town's fishing port stands today.

Another sighting tower was the 'Mpisu tower, also with a square plan, located on the north-west side. Still on the north-west side, inside the Zingaro reserve stands the Uzzo tower, built in the seventeenth century to defend the Uzzo tonnarella.

All the defensive structures mentioned, inside were divided in a simple way and had a cistern to collect rainwater. In each tower there were three soldiers for the guard, who could communicate with the garrisons present in the other towers.

Book your apartament in San Vito lo Capo and travel to discover these glimpses of history.