Torre del Colle, Romanesque tower in Villar Dora, Italy
Torre del Colle is a cylindrical stone tower standing about 19 meters tall with a base roughly 7 meters across, topped with eight merlons pointing toward cardinal directions. The tower features an elevated entrance and an internal fireplace, revealing its design for permanent occupation by guards.
Written records from 1287 confirm the tower's existence as part of a network of fortifications. It served as a boundary marker between regions under different political control at that time.
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 contains a built-in sanitary facility within one of its merlons, suggesting it was equipped for extended occupation. This practical solution reveals how medieval fortifications were designed to be livable for their inhabitants.
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