Parata Tower
Native name
Corsican: Torra di a Parata
Coordinates41°53′43″N 8°36′30″E / 41.89528°N 8.60833°E / 41.89528; 8.60833
Built1550-1551
ArchitectGiacomo Lombardo
Torra di a Parata is located in Corsica
Torra di a Parata
Location of Parata Tower in Corsica

The Torra di a Parata (English: Parata Tower, French: Tour de Parata) is a ruined Genoese tower located in the commune of Ajaccio, Corse-du-Sud, on the west coast of the island of Corsica, France. The tower sits at an elevation of 55 metres (180 ft) on a rocky promontory, the Pointe de la Parata, to the north-east of the Îles Sanguinaires archipelago.

The tower was built in 1550–1551 by Giacomo Lombardo. 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] The tower is 12 m (39 ft) in height and has a diameter of 7.3 m (24 ft) at the level of the roof platform. It contains two vaulted rooms, one above the other.[2]

In Genoese documents the tower is called the Sanguinera di Terra. A similar tower which once sat on the highest point of the Grande Sanguinaire island was called the Sanguinera di Fuori or the Sanguinera di Mare.[3] The Grande Sanguinaire tower was demolished in the 19th century when the existing lighthouse was constructed.[4] A second small tower at the south-west end of the Grande Sanguinaire island has survived. In a Genoese document it is referred to as the torretta piccola (little tower). It is now called the Torra di Castelluchju.[5]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ Graziani 2000, p. 107.
  2. ^ Fréminville 1894a, pp. 50-51.
  3. ^ Graziani 1992, pp. 84, 135.
  4. ^ Cubells 2007, p. 73.
  5. ^ Graziani 1992, p. 85.

Sources

  • Cubells, Jean-François; et al. (2007). Un site, des monuments La Parata et Les Sanguinaires: Pour une étude pluridisciplinaire du patrimoine historique et naturel de la Corse (PDF). La Ville d’Ajaccio et le Conseil Général de la Corse-du-Sud. ISBN 978-286-620-201-9.
  • Fréminville, Joseph de (1894a). "Tours génoises du littoral de la Corse". Bulletin archéologique du Comité des travaux historiques et scientifiques (in French): 47–57.
  • Fréminville, Joseph de (1894b). Tours génoises du littoral de la Corse (PDF) (in French). Paris. OCLC 494605587.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Graziani, Antoine-Marie (1992). Les Tours Littorales (in French and Italian). Ajaccio, France: Alain Piazzola. ISBN 2-907161-06-7.
  • Graziani, Antoine-Marie (2000). "Les ouvrages de défense en Corse contre les Turcs (1530-1650)". In Vergé-Franceschi, Michel; Graziani, Antoine-Marie (eds.). La guerre de course en Méditerranée (1515-1830) (in French). Paris: Presses de l'Université Paris IV-Sorbonne. ISBN 2-84050-167-8.

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