Pula, Coltellazzo Tower

The Coltellazzo tower dominates the Phoenician-Punic city of Nora. Like the tower of Chia, this was also built on the hill that already housed an acropolis in Phoenician times. From here you can see the three ports of Nora. From the second half of the 16th century, the tower had to defend the creeks and fishponds from privateering assaults. He was in visual contact with the towers of Cala D'Ostia, San Macario and del Diavolo.
The foundations of the tower rest on the remains of ancient structures of the Acropolis of Nora, therefore called “Castellas”. The name 'Coltellas' dates back to the Middle Ages, because 'Cortelazo' is present in the Vesconte's card (1318). Since 1740, the name of the tower has also been linked to the nearby sanctuary of Sant'Efisio, patron saint of Cagliari and Sardinia (“Coltellas de Sant'Efis”).
Geographers and military explorers revealed the need to build a fortified guard post on the Coltellazzo rock, an ideal position to monitor the sea and the immediate hinterland. A guard post existed since the beginning of the 16th century: documents show that in November 1505, the salaries of the guards of Pula, Carbonara and Sant'Elia were being discussed in the town hall of Cagliari. Later, as witnessed in 1578, the two guard men were paid by the feudal lord the Count of Quirra. The Costellas de Pula tower came into operation only in 1607.
The tower had a truncated conical shape with a small vertical parapet, a base diameter of 12 m, a wall thickness of about 2 m and a height of 11 m. The entrance, opened about 6 m above the ground and facing S, led into an internal chamber, 7.5 m wide and turned into a dome, with a central pillar and stiffening ribs. In it, some rooms were created, including the warden's room, the accommodation for the soldiers, the santabarbara, the warehouses, the galley and the kitchen. To the right of the entrance, a staircase carved from the thick wall led to the parade ground. The terrace was then covered by a crescent.
In 1680 the Aloe designated it 'Fortalleza Coltellaz'. In the 18th century, it functioned as a 'Torre de Armas', that is, 'strong', with a heavy defense, with a garrison of four men, the gunner and the commander. Its function remained to protect the marina.
Between 1722 and 1728, the tower was transformed into a fort by the engineer Antonio Felice de Vincenti, assisted by the engineer Bellin and Captain Audibert. From the 19th century, the tower underwent arbitrary interventions that changed its physiognomy; a traffic light was placed on the new terrace for nautical signals.

History of studies
The tower is included in the main works on coastal fortifications in Sardinia.

Bibliography
E. Pillosu, Le torri litoranee in Sardegna, Cagliari, Tipografia La Cartotecnica, 1957;
E. Pillosu, "Un inedito rapporto cinquecentesco sulla difesa costiera di Marco Antonio Camos", in Nuovo Bullettino Bibliografico Sardo e Archivio delle tradizioni popolari, V, 1959;
F. Fois, Torri spagnole e forti piemontesi in Sardegna, Cagliari, La Voce Sarda, 1981;
G. Montaldo, Le torri costiere in Sardegna, Sassari, Carlo Delfino, Sassari 1992;
F. Russo, La difesa costiera del Regno di Sardegna dal XVI al XIX secolo, Roma, Stato maggiore dell'Esercito, Ufficio storico, 1992;
G. Montaldo, "Forti e Torri Costiere", in Le Architetture fortificate della Sardegna centro-meridionale. Atti della Giornata di Studio, Cagliari 16 ottobre 1999;
M. Rassu, Guida alle torri e forti costieri, Cagliari, Artigianarte, Cagliari 2000;
C. Tronchetti, Nora. Sassari, C. Delfino, 2001 (Sardegna archeologica. Guide e itinerari; 1).

Tag

Structure category: Monument or Monumental Complex

Content type: Fortified architecture

Usability: Open

Province: Cagliari

Common: Pula

Macro Territorial Area: South Sardinia

POSTAL CODE: 09050

Address: viale Nora, s.n.c.

Telephone: +39 329 6715230 +39 392 0448674 +39 070 9209366

E-mail: bookingnorafp@gmail.com fondazione@comune.pula.ca.it

Website: www.fondazionepulacultura.it/acquisto-biglietti

Information on tickets and access: The tower can only be visited with the accompaniment of a guide for safety reasons. It is advisable to book your visit and to contact the property in advance before planning your visit. For online reservations, ticket purchases, and to verify the actual usability of the tower, consult the manager's website.

Access mode: For a fee

Update

25/7/2025 - 12:41

Where is it

Pula, Torre del Coltellazzo Images number: 1