Torre di Palidoro, Coastal defense tower in Fiumicino, Italy
Torre di Palidoro is a medieval coastal tower with a square base, located within the Roman Coastal Nature Reserve near Fiumicino. It stands on the remains of an ancient Roman villa and houses a small museum space spread across its ground floor and first floor.
The tower was built between the 8th and 9th centuries to defend the coast from Saracen raids. In the 16th century, the Archispedale di Santo Spirito in Rome took charge of the site and had it restored.
The tower is known above all as a memorial to Salvo D'Acquisto, a Carabinieri vice brigadier who gave himself up in place of 22 civilians threatened by German soldiers in 1943. Inside, a small exhibition space is dedicated to his memory and the events of that day.
The tower is located inside a nature reserve and access is typically through guided visits. The surrounding parkland rewards those who take time to walk around before or after entering the tower.
Despite being called a coastal tower, the structure stands slightly inland from the shoreline, which may seem unexpected for a building meant to watch the sea. This position actually allowed a wider field of view over the surrounding flat land and the coast at once.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
