Tower of Portu | |
Native Name: | Torra di Portu |
Native Language: | Corsican |
Designation1: | Monument historique |
Designation1 Date: | 22 June 1946 |
Designation1 Type: | inscrit |
Built: | 1551 |
Coordinates: | 42.2678°N 8.6918°W |
Map Relief: | yes |
The Tower of Portu (Corsican: Torra di Portu) is a ruined Genoese tower located in the commune of Ota (Corse-du-Sud) on the west coast of the Corsica. The tower sits on a rocky outcrop at a height of 45m (148feet) in the Gulf of Porto.
The construction of the Tower of Portu began in around 1551. It was one of a series of coastal defences constructed by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to stem the attacks by Barbary pirates.[1] [2] The tower was one of the earliest towers built on the west coast of Corsica. The design of the tower is unusual in being square rather than round. It is owned by the department and in 1946 was listed as one of the official historical monuments of France.