Torre di Santa Maria, Coastal defense tower in Ustica, Italy
Torre di Santa Maria is a square coastal tower rising approximately 15 meters above Cala Santa Maria port with a truncated pyramidal shape. The structure features windows on its northwest and southeast sides, with multiple levels containing barrel-vaulted rooms organized around a central corridor.
The tower was designed in 1759 by military engineer Andrea Pigonati under orders from Charles III of Bourbon, with construction beginning shortly after. Completion in 1763 used locally quarried lava stone in its building.
The structure formed part of Sicily's coastal defense network, enabling visual communication with other fortifications to monitor Saracen incursions across the Mediterranean waters.
Entry is at the first floor level, allowing visitors to move through the internal spaces and explore the various barrel-vaulted rooms across the different levels. The layout makes it straightforward to navigate through the tower's multi-story structure.
The structure served as a prison until 1965 before later housing an Archaeological Museum and art exhibitions. Its transformation from detention facility to cultural venue reflects the island's changing relationship with this fortification over the years.
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