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Origin and history

The tower of Isolella, also known as torra di l'Isuledda en Corsica, is a genoese tower located in the town of Pietrosella, in the department of South Corsica. Built in 1608, it was under the jurisdiction of Ajaccio and was financed by the inhabitants of the Piève d'Ornano, a former Corsican administrative division. His maintenance and the remuneration of his garrison were provided by the camera, a genoese institution responsible for local administration. The tower, of circular plan, is built of granite bellows linked to the mortar, with a fruit marked above a brick cord located mid-height.

The tower has a door and bay above the cordon, and is surmounted by a terrace with mâchicoulis. Originally, it had only one level under the terrace, but a floor was later added to create a second floor covered with a dome. The tower was listed as a historical monument by order of 4 August 1992. It is now owned by the State and the municipality of Pietrosella.

Like many Genoese towers in Corsica, the Isolella tower had a defensive vocation, aimed at protecting the coasts from the barbaric incursions that threatened local populations in the 16th and 17th centuries. These towers were part of a wider network of coastal fortifications, symbols of the Genoese presence in Corsica and their strategy of controlling the Mediterranean coast. Their standardized architecture, adapted to local constraints, reflects both a desire for protection and a centralised administrative organisation.

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