Genoese tower
Encyclopedia
The Genoese towers are vestiges of the Genoese
heritage after their occupation of Corsica
.
The Corsican littoral is constellated with these tower
s , which are now one of the symbols of the island. Although all of them don’t have a Genoese origin — some of them are Florentine
— they are generally called Genoese towers, without distinction. These vestiges are classified Monuments historiques
(historic buildings).
sent two extraordinary representatives, Paolo Battista Calvo and Francesco Doria
, to inspect the fortifications defending the island of the Barbary corsairs
. In 1531, the construction of ninety towers on the Corsican littoral was decided, thirty-two of them in the Cap Corse
.
The work began under the supervision of two new Genoese representatives, Sebastiano Doria and Pietro Filippo Grimaldi Podio. The objective was to extend to Corsica the system of vigilance already in force on the Mediterranean
circumference. Placed in outpost, these watchtowers prevented and defended of the attacks of Barbary pirats and of the dangers coming from the sea.
Consequently, from the end of the 17th century, and until 1768, date of the conquest of the island by France
, the number of maintained towers decreased considerably. When Pasquale Paoli
was elected President of the new independent Corsican Republic
in 1755, only 22 towers remained, some of which were occupied by the French troops. The continual guerrilla wars during the paolian period caused the destruction of several of these buildings, including the towers of Tizzano
, Caldane
, Solenzara
. The battle for the landing of the British troops of the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
in 1794, ruined the tower of Santa Maria Chjapella
and Mortella
At the end of the 18th century, few towers were still intact.
An important work of restoration, financed essentially by the local authorities although they are not owners, was produced to save some of them. Unfortunately, by lack of means and program of restoration, many of these symbols of the island worsen more and more.
In the event of alarm, a signal was given on the terrace at the top of the tower, in the form of smoke, fire or the sound of culombu (a large conch
), warning the surroundings of the approach of hostile ships. It was followed by the general withdrawal of the people and animals in the interior of the country. The two closest towers in sight were ignited and so on, which made it possible to put the entire island in alarm in a few hours.
Certain garrisons had to be defended against the invaders, and combatants’ remains were found at their bases. Thus, the famous Torra di l'Osse
took its name from the bones buried along its walls.
The towers were always insufficiently armed. They were used mainly as customs stations and daymark
s. The torregiani often neglected their military role, to concentrate on the control of the maritime trade and the perception of various taxes. They were also trading wood and cultivating in the surrounding lands.
Although unjustified absence of a guard was prohibited under penalty of galley as well as the replacement by a person other than the titular guards, as times went by, some towers were deserted. They deteriorated, fell in ruins, or were destroyed for lack of defence.
To pass from one level to the other, trap doors and scales were used. The entry door was accessible by a long sliding scale, directly to the first floor. Alternately, the guards lived in a single room equipped with niches and a chimney, and located under the guardroom.
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
heritage after their occupation of Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
.
The Corsican littoral is constellated with these tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
s , which are now one of the symbols of the island. Although all of them don’t have a Genoese origin — some of them are Florentine
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
— they are generally called Genoese towers, without distinction. These vestiges are classified Monuments historiques
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
(historic buildings).
Construction
The construction of these towers started in the 16th century, at the request of village communities to protect themselves against the pirates. In 1530, the Republic of GenoaRepublic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
sent two extraordinary representatives, Paolo Battista Calvo and Francesco Doria
Doria
Doria, originally de Auria , meaning "the sons of Auria", and then de Oria or d'Oria, is the name of an old and extremely wealthy Genoese family who played a major role in the history of the Republic of Genoa and in Italy, from the 12th century to the 16th century.-Origins:According to legend, a...
, to inspect the fortifications defending the island of the Barbary corsairs
Barbary corsairs
The Barbary Corsairs, sometimes called Ottoman Corsairs or Barbary Pirates, were pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Tunis, Tripoli and Algiers. This area was known in Europe as the Barbary Coast, a term derived from the name of its Berber...
. In 1531, the construction of ninety towers on the Corsican littoral was decided, thirty-two of them in the Cap Corse
Cap Corse
Cap Corse, a geographical area of Corsica , is a 25-mile long peninsula located at the northern tip of the island. At the base of it is the second largest city in Corsica, Bastia...
.
The work began under the supervision of two new Genoese representatives, Sebastiano Doria and Pietro Filippo Grimaldi Podio. The objective was to extend to Corsica the system of vigilance already in force on the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
circumference. Placed in outpost, these watchtowers prevented and defended of the attacks of Barbary pirats and of the dangers coming from the sea.
Decline
These towers continued to cause multiple problems for the Genoese authorities; their isolated locations made them prime targets for pirates and constructional defects caused collapses. Several inventories of the towers were carried out but no precise number could be determined. The Republic of Genoa also had to deal with many financial conflicts, quarrels of communities, defection of guards, unpaid debts, and requests for supplies or weapons.Consequently, from the end of the 17th century, and until 1768, date of the conquest of the island by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the number of maintained towers decreased considerably. When Pasquale Paoli
Pasquale Paoli
Filippo Antonio Pasquale di Paoli , was a Corsican patriot and leader, the president of the Executive Council of the General Diet of the People of Corsica...
was elected President of the new independent Corsican Republic
Corsican Republic
In November 1755, Pasquale Paoli proclaimed Corsica a sovereign nation, the Corsican Republic, independent from the Republic of Genoa. He created the Corsican Constitution, which was the first constitution written under Enlightenment principles, including the first implementation of female...
in 1755, only 22 towers remained, some of which were occupied by the French troops. The continual guerrilla wars during the paolian period caused the destruction of several of these buildings, including the towers of Tizzano
Torra di Tizzà
The Torra di Tizzà is a Genoese tower in Corsica, located in the commune of Sartène .It is one of the Official Historical Monuments of France.-Notes and references:...
, Caldane
Torra di Caldanu
The Torra di Caldanu is a Genoese tower in Corsica, located in the commune of Lumio .It is one of the Official Historical Monuments of France.-Notes and references:...
, Solenzara
Torra di Solenzara
The Torra di Solenzara is a tower in Corsica. It is one of the Official Historical Monuments of France....
. The battle for the landing of the British troops of the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom was a short-lived self-declared independent state on the island of Corsica during the mid-1790s.-Background and history of the kingdom:During the time of the French Revolution, Corsica had been a part of France for just two decades...
in 1794, ruined the tower of Santa Maria Chjapella
Torra di Santa Maria Chjapella
The Torra di Santa Maria Chjapella is a Genoese tower in Corsica, located in the commune of Rogliano, Haute-Corse.It is one of the Official Historical Monuments of France.-Notes and references:...
and Mortella
Torra di Mortella
The Torra di Mortella is a Genoese tower in Corsica, located on Mortella Point in the commune of Saint-Florent, Haute-Corse. It was a progenitor of the numerous Martello towers the British built in the 19th Century throughout their empire....
At the end of the 18th century, few towers were still intact.
Current days
Today the Genoese towers represent a considerable heritage. Of the 85 towers existing at the beginning of the 18th century, 67 still stand today. Some are in ruins; others are in very good state. Most of them are classified Monuments historiques.An important work of restoration, financed essentially by the local authorities although they are not owners, was produced to save some of them. Unfortunately, by lack of means and program of restoration, many of these symbols of the island worsen more and more.
Function
The garrison of a tower was constituted of two to six men , recruited among the inhabitants and paid on the local taxes. These guards were to reside permanently in the tower. They could move away no more than two days, for the supply and the pay, and one by one. They ensured the lookout with regular fires and signals: every morning and evening they assembled on the platform, informed navigators, shepherds and ploughmen about safety, communicating by fires with the closest towers located in their sight, and supervised the arrival of possible pirates.Conch
A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells, generally those which are large and have a high spire and a siphonal canal....
), warning the surroundings of the approach of hostile ships. It was followed by the general withdrawal of the people and animals in the interior of the country. The two closest towers in sight were ignited and so on, which made it possible to put the entire island in alarm in a few hours.
Certain garrisons had to be defended against the invaders, and combatants’ remains were found at their bases. Thus, the famous Torra di l'Osse
Torra di l'Osse
The Torra di l'Osse is a Genoese tower in Corsica, located in the commune of Cagnano.It is one of the Official Historical Monuments of France.-Notes and references:...
took its name from the bones buried along its walls.
The towers were always insufficiently armed. They were used mainly as customs stations and daymark
Daymark
A daymark or a day marker is a structure such as a tower constructed on land as an aid to navigation by sailors. While similar in concept to a lighthouse, a daymark does not have a light and so is usually only visible during daylight hours...
s. The torregiani often neglected their military role, to concentrate on the control of the maritime trade and the perception of various taxes. They were also trading wood and cultivating in the surrounding lands.
Although unjustified absence of a guard was prohibited under penalty of galley as well as the replacement by a person other than the titular guards, as times went by, some towers were deserted. They deteriorated, fell in ruins, or were destroyed for lack of defence.
Architecture
The Genoese towers are built of stone, 12 to 17 m high for 8 to 10 m of diameter. Most of them are circular, some have a square plan; they always have four floors:- the reserves, in the basement of the tower; a niche was used to store food and ammunitions; water was kept there in a cistern, filled from the terrace by a direct duct;
- the living room, on the first floor; sometimes separated from the guardroom by a simple wooden floor and forming with it a single space of life;
- the guardroom, on the second floor; pierced with balistrariaBalistrariaAn arrowslit is a thin vertical aperture in a fortification through which an archer can launch arrows....
s to allow the torregiani to watch; - the terrace, at the top of the tower, for the observation; bored with machicolationMachicolationA machicolation is a floor opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement, through which stones, or other objects, could be dropped on attackers at the base of a defensive wall. The design was developed in the Middle Ages when the Norman crusaders returned. A machicolated battlement...
or murder-holeMurder-holeA murder hole or meurtrière is a hole in the ceiling of a gateway or passageway in a fortification through which the defenders could fire, throw or pour harmful substances, such as rocks, arrows, scalding water, hot sand, quicklime, tar, or boiling oil, down on attackers. They also allowed water to...
s, was flanked by a bartizanBartizanA bartizan or guerite is an overhanging, wall-mounted turret projecting from the walls of medieval fortifications from the early 14th century up to the 16th century. They protect a warder and enable him to see around him...
.
To pass from one level to the other, trap doors and scales were used. The entry door was accessible by a long sliding scale, directly to the first floor. Alternately, the guards lived in a single room equipped with niches and a chimney, and located under the guardroom.
External links
- Photo album from free.fr