Torre Zozzoli, Renaissance defensive tower in Taranto, Italy
Torre Zozzoli is a stone tower from the Renaissance period positioned between Marina di Lizzano and Marina di Pulsano on the Puglian coast. Built with stone and brick, it once formed part of a chain of defensive structures that protected the shoreline.
The tower was built around 1500 in response to raids by corsairs from North Africa, a major threat to the region at that time. It was part of a wider network of fortifications that monitored hundreds of kilometers of coastline.
Locals call it Torri Sgarràta in the Lizzano dialect, and older records give the names Sassoli or Salzoli. The tower stood on the edge of the Lizzano countryside, and a path linked it to the fortified farmhouse La Torretta, less than two kilometres inland, whose name still labels the district.
The tower can be reached via Strada Provinciale 122, which links various historical sites along the Taranto coast. The surrounding landscape is relatively flat and open, making exploration straightforward.
Specialists have surveyed the tower using drones and laser scanning to create detailed digital records of its form. This technology helps researchers understand the original structure and plan for its care over time.
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