Torre del Serpe, Renaissance watchtower in Otranto, Italy

Torre del Serpe is a Renaissance watchtower in Otranto on Italy's southern coast, standing about 35 meters above sea level with a circular base and cone-shaped top. The remaining walls are made of brick and stone, showing the structural features typical of a coastal defense installation.

The tower is thought to date from the Roman period, when it served as a lighthouse. It was restored in the age of Frederick II after the emperor ordered a strategic upgrade of the site. The structure later fell into ruin, and only one wall and the widened base, the scarpa, remain visible today.

The tower appears on Otranto's coat of arms with a black serpent coiled around it, reflecting centuries of maritime defense traditions rooted in the town's identity. This symbol reminds visitors of how important the structure was to the community's protection and survival.

The tower stands 200 metres from the sea at an altitude of 35 metres, on the Salento coast near Otranto. Only one wall and the widened base, the scarpa, remain, so the ruins are seen from outside; keep to the paths and away from the masonry.

A second legend places the serpent just before the 1480 Ottoman capture of Otranto: the snake drank the lighthouse oil and put out the lamp, so the Saracen raiders lost their bearings, sailed past and attacked Brindisi instead. The tower still appears on Otranto's coat of arms, encircled by a black serpent.