Torre San Michele

Torre San Michele

Built between 1689 and 1691, the San Michele Tower has always served as a defense for the city and the salt. In 1691, Count Michelangelo Maffei, who had already built the Magazzino Torre for the conservation of salt, had this powerful building built to counter pirate attacks. The main function of the Tower was defense: at the top there was a parade ground to signal attacks by bandits and looters and to defend the precious resource of salt, stored in the Warehouse. With a square plan with a side of 13.5 m, a height of 22.5 m and walls 3 m thick, the Tower was a real fort, with numerous openings, windows and loopholes equipped with short and long range armaments. The Tower could also accommodate the guards who lived there and made it an independent building, equipped with fireplaces, external water collectors, showers, drainage systems and other utilities.