Scola Tower, also known as Torre Scola or tower of St. John the Baptist, is a historic military fortress located right in the middle of the Bay of Poets, La Spezia, Italy. With a height of more than 42 feet, The tower was built by the inhabitants of Genoa in 1606 on a cliff north of the island of Palmaria in Porto Venere. This land is known for its natural beauty.
Scola tower, Italy
The Scola Tower rests on a pentagonal base built of large blocks of square stone with walls, the average thickness of which is 4 meters. Every corner of the fort is crowned with a tower and an observation hole for 10 cannons intended to protect the fortress at sea. The fort could easily accommodate 8 soldiers. The tower was destroyed in 1800 during naval battles between the British and French fleets, which we're trying to drive Napoleon's troops out of the Gulf. Since then, the tower has been completely abandoned.
First Image / Source
Image / Source
Abandoned Scola Tower of the island of Palmaria
In 1915, after the threat of destruction, the fortress turned into a lighthouse. From 1976 to 1980 it was radically restored and today continues to amaze visitors with its impressive beauty. As with other coastal towers and lookouts on the Ligurian coast, the Scola Tower is part of a defensive system originally built by the Senate of the Republic of Genoa to protect the coast. According to some studies, the tower was built at the beginning of the 17th century at an estimated cost of 56,000 Genoese Liras, in response to new ballistic technologies that forced the Senate of Genoa to rapidly transform existing defenses and create new ones. Scola is not often mentioned in the list of top attractions in Italy, but it deserves close attention despite this.
Image / Source
During the Napoleonic Wars, Scola was at the center of the naval battle between the British and French fleets on January 23, 1800. It was damaged by the British, after which it fell into disrepair in the first half of the 19th century. Used by the military for target shooting and intended for demolition in 1915, the tower was saved thanks to the interests of Ubaldo Mazzini, a local official in the Ministry of Education. Ultimately, it was decided to turn the tower into a lighthouse. In the period from 1976 to 1980, the structure underwent major restoration and strengthening of the perimeter wall. In addition to exploring historical sites, don't forget about nature as well.
Image / Source
Image / Source
Image / Source
Image / Source
Image / Source
Image / Source
Image / Source
Scola Tower in the Gulf of Poets | Video
Scola Tower — Google Map
Image / Source
Source — Wikipedia
No comments:
Post a Comment