Tor Sanguigna, Medieval tower near Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy

Tor Sanguigna stands at a corner north of Piazza Navona and was built with alternating rows of bricks and tufa stone blocks. The structure remains visible from two external sides and features four asymmetrical windows oriented toward Via Zanardelli.

Possibly built on the site of an earlier tower erected by the Gemini family before the 11th century, the present tower is what remains of the fortress of the Sanguigni, a powerful Roman family that included Pope Leo VI and several Conservatori of the Campidoglio and lived here until the 15th century. In 1406 Riccardo Sanguigni was beheaded by Paolo Orsini for siding with the Colonna. In the 19th century the tower was absorbed into the adjoining palazzo, which passed to the Sagnotti family in 1860.

The tower's name comes from the Sanguigni family, who lived here until the 15th century and died out in the 18th. In the Middle Ages the tower became a symbol of the district, linked to stories of crimes, violence and defenestrations. A small head from an ancient Roman monument is built into the wall at first-floor level.

The tower is located in central Rome and easy to reach on foot near major plazas and streets. The best views of the structure are from Via Zanardelli, where the facade and window details are clearly visible.

Stone rings are visible under the battlements that once held wooden beams for defense. These beams allowed defenders to drop materials or objects on anyone attacking from below.