Place of interest
Torre ‘Mpisu
The Torre ‘Mpisu (or ‘Impisu, “hanged man”) (original name “Jazzolino”), together with the other coastal towers in the territory of San Vito Lo Capo, was built in 1583 by the Florentine architect Camillo Camilliani, commissioned by the Viceroy of the time to organise the island’s coastal defences…
San Vito Lo Capo
The place
The Torre ‘Mpisu (or ‘Impisu, “hanged man”) (original name “Jazzolino”), together with the other coastal towers in the territory of San Vito Lo Capo, was built in 1583 by the Florentine architect Camillo Camilliani, commissioned by the Viceroy of the time to organise the island’s coastal defences against corsair raids: it has a square-based structure and a very large cistern for collecting rainwater.
As a rule three tower guards lived there, that is soldiers responsible for guarding and for signalling by smoke and fire (fani). Because of its high position it had to be able to communicate not only with the neighbouring towers but also with those of Bonagia and Monte San Giuliano of Erice.
