Salento, in southern Italy, is dotted with watchtowers which were constructed to sight seaborne invaders, including those coming from Turkey.Gabellone, F., Ferrari, I., Giuri, F., & Giuri, P. (2019, December). Architectural survey and analysis of the costal tower of S. Maria dell’Alto in Nardò (Lecce, Italy). In Proc. 2019 IMEKO TC-4 International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (Florence, Italy (pp. 254-258). Many of the towers were built in the 16th century.Mastronuzzi, G., & Sansò, P. (2014). Coastal towers and historical sea level change along the Salento coast (southern Apulia, Italy). Quaternary International, 332, 61-72. The towers come in a variety of designs, including a truncated cone, a truncated pyramid, a fortified masserie, a tower masserie, and a closed-courtyard Masseria.Schipa, E., & Venneri, A. (2016). The fortification system along the coastline of Salento peninsula: the metamorphosis of fortified masserie and coastal towers. In Giorgio Verdiani (ed.), Defensive Architecture of the Mediterranean XV to XVIII Centuries (Vol. IV). Didapress. pg.107-111. After their initial function as lookout posts for sighting seaborne threats became redundant, many of the towers were either "abandoned or used as a place to store agricultural tools".Schipa, E., & Venneri, A. (2016). The fortification system along the coastline of Salento peninsula: the metamorphosis of fortified masserie and coastal towers. In Giorgio Verdiani (ed.), Defensive Architecture of the Mediterranean XV to XVIII Centuries (Vol. IV). Didapress. pg.107. Subsidence has affected the tower structures.Margiotta, S., & Sansò, P. (2025). Historical Evolution of the Salento Leccese Coastal Landscape (Southern Apulia, Italy). Geosciences, 15(2), 66.

This is the list in a clockwise direction from the province of Brindisi and culminating in the province of Taranto.

Province of Brindisi

Image Tower Name City Base Section Build Year Torre Egnazia Fasano Torre Canne Fasano Torre San Leonardo village Pilone, Ostuni Torre Villanova Ostuni Torre Pozzelle Ostuni Torre Santa Sabina Carovigno four-pointed star Torre Guaceto Carovigno square Torre Testa Brindisi Torre Penna Brindisi Torre Cavallo Brindisi Torre Mattarelle Brindisi Torre San Gennaro Torchiarolo

Province of Lecce Image Tower Name City Base Section Build Year Torre Specchiolla Lecce, fraz. Casalabate square 16th century Torre Rinalda Lecce square 16th century Torre Chianca Leccev square 16th century Torre Veneri Lecce 16th century Torre San Cataldo Lecce Torre Specchia Ruggeri Vernole Torre San Foca Melendugno square 1568 Torre Roca Vecchia Melendugno square 1568 Torre dell'Orso Melendugno square 1568 Torre Sant'Andrea Melendugno Torre Fiumicelli Otranto Torre Santo Stefano Otranto square 1567 Torre del Serpe Otranto Torre dell'Orte or dell'Orto Otranto 1565 Torre Palascia Otranto Torre Sant'Emiliano Otranto circle 16th century Torre Badisco Otranto Torre Minervino Santa Cesarea Terme circle Torre Specchia di Guardia Santa Cesarea Terme Torre Santa Cesarea Santa Cesarea Terme circle Torre Miggiano Santa Cesarea Terme circle 16th century Torre Diso Castro 16th century Torre Capo Lupo Diso circle 15th century Torre Andrano or Porto di Ripa Andrano circle 16th century Torre del Sasso Tricase Torre di Porto Tricase Tricase Torre Palane or Plane Tricase square Torre Nasparo or Naspre or de Lissano Tiggiano 1565 Torre Specchia Grande Corsano circle Torre del Ricco Corsano Torre di Porto Novaglie Gagliano del Capo Torre Montelungo Gagliano del Capo Torre Santa Maria di Leuca Gagliano del Capo Torre dell'Omomorto or Uomini Morti Castrignano del Capo 1555 Torre Marchiello Castrignano del Capo 16th century Torre San Gregorio Patu Torre Vado Morciano di Leuca circle 16th century Torre Pali Salve circle 16th century Torre Fiumicelli or Torre Mozza Ugento circle 16th century Torre San Giovanni Ugento octagon 1563 Torre Sinforo or Sinfono Alliste 16th century Torre Suda Racale 16th century Torre del Pizzo Gallipoli 16th century Torre San Giovanni la Pedata Gallipoli Torre Sabea Gallipoli 16th century Torre Alto Lido Gallipoli 1565 Torre del Fiume di Galatena (also called delle quattro colonne) Nardò square 17th century Torre Santa Caterina Nardò 16th century Torre Santa Maria dell'Alto Nardò 1569 Torre Uluzzo or Crustano Nardò 16th century Torre dell'Inserraglio or Critò Nardò 1568 Torre Sant'Isidoro Nardò square 1565 Torre Squillace Nardò square 16th century Torre Cesarea Porto Cesareo square 1569 Torre Chianca Porto Cesareo square 16th century Torre Lapillo Porto Cesareo square 1550 Torre Castiglione Porto Cesareo

Province of Taranto Image Tower Name City Base Section Build Year Torre Colimena Manduria square Torre Saline Manduria Torre San Pietro in Bevagna Manduria four-pointed star Torre Borraco Manduria Torre Moline Maruggio Torre Ovo Torricella Torre Canneto Lizzano Torre Zozzoli or Sgarrata administrative island of Taranto, between Pulsano and Lizzano Torre Rossa or Sasso Taranto (destroyed) Torre Castelluccia Pulsano Torre Saturo Leporano Torre Lama Taranto Torre Capo San Vito Taranto Torre Rondinella Taranto Torre Tara Taranto Torre Saline or Lo Lato Castellaneta Torre Mattoni Ginosa

See also List of lighthouses in Italy

References