Torra d'Erbalunga, Coastal defense tower in Brando, France

Torra d'Erbalunga is a circular stone tower on the eastern coast of Cap Corse near Erbalunga village. Its thick walls and carefully placed openings were designed to allow guards to watch the Mediterranean Sea for approaching threats.

The Republic of Genoa built this tower around 1600 to replace an earlier one destroyed in 1553 during Mediterranean conflicts. The new construction was part of a broader effort to strengthen Genoese control over Corsica's strategic coastline.

The tower shows how Genoese military ideas shaped Corsica's coastal defenses and protected local trade routes. Its design reflects the way seaside communities of that era built structures to watch for danger coming from the sea.

The tower can be reached by a path starting from Erbalunga village, which also shows the defensive position and coastal views. The path is straightforward to follow and the ruins are freely accessible, though sturdy shoes help on the rocky ground.

In 1553 French troops attacked the tower, which was then held by Alessandro Gentile, and hit it with 77 cannon shots. The tower had already existed at Erbalunga in 1488; it was rebuilt after the French withdrew under the treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis. It was listed as a monument historique in 1927, and since 2003 the Collectivité Territoriale de Corse has managed it.