The Elephant Tower

The Elephant Tower is a mighty structure built in 1307 by architect Giovanni Capula. It stood on the hill of Castello, overlooking the sea. The height of the tower was about 30 meters.

It was part of the city's defensive system and was designed to protect one of the main entrances to Castello. Three sides of the tower consisted of white limestone, and the fourth was opened and had four floors of wooden galleries. During the Aragonese dynasty, the Elephant Tower was converted into a prison, where the heads of executed criminals were hung on its walls. In 1906 it was restored and acquired its original appearance. On the south side of the tower there is a small statue of the elephant from which its name derives, as well as the original coats of arms of the Pisa families.

The tower has lost its dominant position among the surrounding civilian and military buildings, but it remains an important historical monument and tourist attraction.