The Tower

The Tower was built thanks to the initiative of Giovanni Bernardo Cabrera, Count of Modica.

He got the authorization from King Alfonso V d'Aragona and he built the tower to defend the so called caricatore harbor area, by the continuos attacks from pirates. Here there were storerooms with piers used to load goods on ships.

The tower was started in 1429 and when finished it was massive.

Copyright © Affinità Elettive

It is 30 metres tall with sentry boxes and loop-holes: no ship or man could escape.

The earthquake in 1693 destroyed the tower, which actually was soon rebuilt as pirate raids were more and more frequent. That time a platform was added.

As following earthquakes and cannon and mortar recoils cracked the structure, the Count of Modica, Ferdinando Sylva Alvarez de Toledo, had it reinforced with huge iron bars surrounding the tower.

During World War II the tower was used as an anti-aircraft post.