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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Genoese tower of Santa Maria-della-Chiappella, located in the municipality of Rogliano on the east coast of Corsica, was built between 1548 and 1549 under the impulse of the Republic of Genoa. It was part of a network of coastal towers erected between 1530 and 1620 to protect the coasts from attacks by barbaric pirates. Sponsored by Giacomo Santo Da Mare, this tower was distinguished by its unusual height and internal structure consisting of two superimposed rooms, similar to that of the Parata tower near Ajaccio.

In 1794, during the French Revolution wars, the tower was partially destroyed by British warships under the command of Horatio Nelson. The remaining ruins were classified as a historical monument in 1991 and are now managed jointly by the Territorial Community of Corsica and the Conservatoire du littoral, which works to preserve the site and its coastal environment. The Conservatory acquired 669 hectares of the 1,147 hectares planned to protect the area.

The tower illustrates the strategic importance of Cape Corsica in the maritime defence of Corsica in the Genoese era. Its architecture reflects Renaissance defensive construction techniques, adapted to external threats. Despite its partial destruction, it remains a key testimony to the region's military and architectural history.

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