Torre Cervia, Medieval tower in San Felice Circeo, Italy
Torre Cervia is a stone tower built on elevated terrain in San Felice Circeo, featuring thick walls arranged to command views of the coastline below. The structure's shape and placement allowed those inside to monitor the sea and approaching vessels.
A Pope commissioned this fortification in the mid-1500s as a response to ongoing pirate raids along the coastline. The tower was built as part of a larger strategy to secure the shoreline of this region.
The tower forms part of a network of coastal fortifications that shaped how communities along this stretch of coastline organized their defense. Visitors can see how such structures were woven into daily life and the landscape of the region.
The tower sits on a hilltop overlooking the sea and can be reached by walking up a path from the town below. Comfortable shoes are useful since the approach involves climbing over uneven ground.
The interior still contains narrow openings and defensive positions that visitors can walk through and examine. These features give a sense of how lookouts once stood watch over the sea.
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