Torre del Colle, Romanesque tower in Villar Dora, Italy

Torre del Colle is a cylindrical Romanesque tower of local stone, about 19 metres high and roughly 7 metres in diameter, with an entrance set at mid-height. It stands on the lower slopes of the Seja hill above the hamlet of the same name in Villar Dora, and at its foot lie the ruins of the old chapel of San Lorenzo, dating from the same period as the tower.

The tower was probably built between the 12th and 13th centuries and is already documented in 1287. It stood on the early slopes of the Seja hill, a lookout point on the line linking Monte Pirchiriano to Monte Caprasio. In Roman times this was the border between metropolitan Italy and the Gauls, and in the early Middle Ages between the Lombard and Frankish kingdoms.

The elevated entrance and internal fireplace show how soldiers stayed here for extended periods as lookouts. The location overlooking the Dora Riparia valley made it a key point for watching movement across the region.

The tower sits on the outskirts of Villar Dora along Via Torre del Colle, near the bridge connecting State Road 24 of Moncenisio with Road 25. The location is accessible from the road and visible from the outside, making it easy to locate.

The tower stands on the first slopes of the Seja hill, a lookout point on the line that links Monte Pirchiriano with Monte Caprasio a few kilometres west. In Roman times the border between metropolitan Italy and the Gauls ran here, and in the early Middle Ages between the Lombard and Frankish kingdoms.