__NOTOC__ The Torra di a Parata (, ) is a ruined Genoese tower located in the commune of

Ajaccio Ajaccio (, , ; French language, French: ; or ; , locally: ; ) is the capital and largest city of Corsica, France. It forms a communes of France, French commune, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Corse-du-Sud, and head o ...

, Corse-du-Sud, on the west coast of the island of

Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...

, France. The tower sits at an elevation of on a rocky promontory, the Pointe de la Parata, to the north-east of the Îles Sanguinaires

archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands. An archipelago may be in an ocean, a sea, or a smaller body of water. Example archipelagos include the Aegean Islands (the o ...

. 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 The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...

between 1530 and 1620 to stem the attacks by

Barbary pirates The Barbary corsairs, Barbary pirates, Ottoman corsairs, or naval mujahideen (in Muslim sources) were mainly Muslim corsairs and privateers who operated from the largely independent Barbary states. This area was known in Europe as the Barba ...

. The tower is in height and has a diameter of at the level of the roof platform. It contains two vaulted rooms, one above the other. 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''. The Grande Sanguinaire tower was demolished in the 19th century when the existing lighthouse was constructed. 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.

Gallery

File:Tour de la Parata section.jpg, Section through the tower File:Tour de la Parata plan.jpg, Plan of the lower floor File:Corsica Ajaccio Îles Sanguinaires Tour genoise.jpg, Tower and the Îles Sanguinaires

References

Sources

* * * * *

External links

* Includes information on how to reach 90 towers and many photographs. Towers in Corsica Torre di a Parata Buildings and structures in Corse-du-Sud Tourist attractions in Corse-du-Sud {{Corsica-struct-stub

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