Walls of Sassari, Medieval fortification system in Sassari, Italy

The walls of Sassari are the remains of the medieval fortifications that once enclosed the historic centre. About 200 metres of wall and six towers survive, including the square towers of Corso Trinità and the cylindrical Turondola on Via Torre Tonda. Most sections are incorporated into 19th-century houses and can only be seen from outside.

The walls were begun in the 13th century by the Pisans, continued by the Genoese and modified by the Aragonese. The pentagonal circuit ran about 2.5 km with 36 square towers, one cylindrical tower called Turondola, and four gates. Most of the walls were demolished in the second half of the 19th century, after the castle was torn down in 1877.

The walls display architectural details from different periods because successive rulers left their marks on how they were built. These layers tell the story of the various cultures that shaped Sassari.

The preserved sections lie scattered throughout the old town and can be explored on foot. Best visited during the day when the surroundings are clearly visible and accessible.

Of the 36 square towers and one cylindrical tower that punctuated the 2.5 km pentagonal circuit, only six survive, and most are square. Several were later turned into private homes, so a walk past them shows medieval masonry with 19th-century windows and doors cut into it.