The Tour de Girolata or Fortin de Girolata (Corsican: Torra di Girolata) is a Genoese tower located in the commune of Osani (Corse-du-Sud) on the west coast of the French island of Corsica. The tower sits at an elevation of 36 metres (118 ft) on a rocky outcrop in the Golfe de Girolata.
| Tour de Girolata | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 42°20′51″N 8°36′46″E / 42.34750°N 8.61278°E |
| Built | 1551-1552 |
| Designated | 11 April 2008 |
| Reference no. | PA2A000003 |
  Location of Tour de Girolata in Corsica | |
The tower was built between 1551 and 1552. The construction was initially supervised by Gieronimo da Levanto but on his death he was replaced by Giovan Battista de'Franchi. The tower was one of a series of coastal defences constructed by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to stem the attacks by Barbary pirates.[1] In 2008 it was listed as one of the official historical monuments of France.[2]
The tower is not open to the public. Since 2009 it has been owned by a French government agency, the Conservatoire du littoral. The agency plans to purchase 937 hectares (2,320 acres) of the land around the Golfe de Girolata and by 2011 had acquired 64 hectares (160 acres).[3]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Graziani, Antoine-Marie (2000). "Les ouvrages de défense en Corse contre les Turcs (1530-1650)". In Vergé-Franceschi, Michel; Graziani, Antoine-Marie (eds.). La guerre de course en Méditerranée (1515-1830) (in French). Paris: Presses de l'Université Paris IV-Sorbonne. pp. 107–110. ISBN 2-84050-167-8.
- ^ Base Mérimée: Fortin de Girolata, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
- ^ "Tour Genoise d'Omignia". Catalogue monuments historiques (PDF) (Report) (in French). Conservatoire du littoral, Ministère de l'écologie, du développement durable et de l'énergie, République Française. July 2011. p. 44. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
External links edit
- Nivaggioni, Mathieu; Verges, Jean-Marie. "Les Tours Génoises Corses" (in French). Includes information on how to reach 90 towers and many photographs.
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