Fico Tower
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| Fico Tower | |
|---|---|
Torre Fico (Italian) | |
 Fico Tower in San Felice Circeo | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| General information | |
| Location | San Felice Circeo, Italy |
| Coordinates | 41°13′28.08″N 13°05′22.17″E / 41.2244667°N 13.0894917°E |
The Fico Tower (Italian: Torre Fico) is a historic coastal tower in San Felice Circeo, Italy.
History
[edit]First built in 1563, it is one of the first four coastal watchtowers built on the coast of Mount Circeo to protect the area from Saracen pirate raids.[1][2] Their construction was ordered by Pope Pius IV who in 1562 issued a brief entrusting the lords of Sermoneta and San Felice with this task.[2] The name of the tower likely originates from the abundant presence of prickly pear cacti, called fichi d'India in Italian, which still cover the rocky wall where it is located.[1]
The tower was destroyed by the British in 1809 during the Napoleonic Wars. Pope Pius VII ordered its reconstruction in 1816, which was achieved the following year.[1]
Description
[edit]The building is located on the easternmost point of the Mount Circeo headland overlooking the beach below and the Gulf of Gaeta to its east. The tower has a circular plan.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Torre Fico". Storia e Leggenda del Circeo (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ a b "Torri Costiere del Circeo - Generalità". Storia e Leggenda del Circeo (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-08-23.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Torre Fico (San Felice Circeo) at Wikimedia Commons