Torre Minervino, Renaissance watchtower in Santa Cesarea Terme, Italy.

Torre Minervino is a coastal defence tower in Santa Cesarea Terme, built in the 16th century under Charles V. It has a high base and a truncated-cone body about 9 metres in diameter at the base, with a modest cornice and a smaller sloping crown. Its inclined barbicans are made of rough stone, forming machicolations, and the masonry is irregular stone laid in horizontal courses with larger binding stones. The usable space is very small, reached by a makeshift stair built against the structure.

The tower was built in the 16th century as part of a coastal defense system against Ottoman raids along the Salento peninsula. This network of watchtowers emerged in response to repeated attacks from pirates and naval forces during that era.

The name comes from the Universitas di Minervino, which shared the cost of building the tower. It stood in visual contact with the Torre di Porto Badisco to the north and the Torre Specchia di Guardia to the south, and from its position the sea could be watched as far as Punta Palascia, the easternmost point of Italy.

The tower is accessible year-round and can be reached via marked paths from the town center of Santa Cesarea Terme. The route crosses rocky terrain, so sturdy footwear is advisable, especially after rain or during wind.

The tower's name comes from the Universitas di Minervino, the town community that shared the cost of building it. Its position let guards scan the sea as far as Punta Palascia, the easternmost point of Italy, and it kept visual contact with Torre di Porto Badisco to the north and Torre Specchia di Guardia to the south.