Description of the attraction
Torre della Peschiera di Nassa is a coastal tower located in the commune of Monte Argentario on the northern coast of the peninsula of the same name. The port of Santa Liberata and the Torre di Santa Liberata tower are nearby.
Torre della Peschiera di Nassa was built in the Middle Ages for defensive and observation purposes - it was used to control the Laguna di Orbetello canal and the Tombolo della Giannella dune. The construction of the tower dates back to the reign of the local powerful clan of Aldobrandeschi. In the 15th century, the Sienese modernized the tower, thus improving the coastal defense system. They also erected a number of similar structures.
After the French assault in 1552, Torre della Peschiera di Nassa became part of the formed State of the Stato dei Presidia, and during the siege of Orbetello in 1646, the tower was a theater of hostilities between the French and the Spaniards. In the following centuries, the tower continued to perform its defensive functions: at the beginning of the 19th century, during the reign of Napoleon, it was fortified. And in 1802, the Madonna di Loreto chapel was built next to it. However, at the end of the same century, Torre Peschiera di Nassa lost its role and began to decline - this led to the fact that the upper part of the building collapsed.
Today, Torre della Peschiera di Nassa, so named for the nearby fish pans (“peschiera” in Italian), stands on a small hill by the road that runs along the northern coast of Monte Argentario. From the ancient tower, only an impressive sloping foundation with a parapet has survived, the powerful stone walls of which give an idea of what the whole structure was like. It is known that in the past the tower consisted of three levels with a row of battlements at the top.
