Torre Petrara, Medieval watchtower in Monticchio, Italy

Torre Petrara is a medieval defensive tower in Sermoneta with a square structure designed to command views of the surrounding territory. The tower sits on a limestone ridge and functioned as part of a broader network of lookout positions in the region.

The tower was built in the 12th century by the Caetani family, lords of Sermoneta, on a hill beside the papal or Roman road. It served as a watchtower against attacks coming from the Pontine countryside. In 2014 the municipality of Sermoneta asked the Lazio Region to recognise the tower and the Monticchio spring area as a natural monument, established in February 2016.

The tower is often wrongly called Torre Petrara, a name that belongs to a tower at Sezze; locally it is the tower of Monticchio, also called the Norman tower or tower of Victory. In February 2016 the Lazio Region established the tower and the Monticchio spring area as a natural monument, after the municipality of Sermoneta applied in 2014.

The tower is privately owned and access can vary depending on the time of year and current conditions. It's best to check locally about visiting opportunities before making the trip along Via della Torre.

The tower is often wrongly called Torre Petrara, a name that belongs to a tower in Sezze. The hill was quarried in the 20th century for material used to build Fascist-era towns, leaving a rock pinnacle about 40 metres high, described as an apple core, on which the tower stands. In February 2016 the tower and the Monticchio spring area were designated a natural monument.