Torrione, Forio

From the square in front of St. Vitus Church, you can clearly see another landmark, which occupies the top of the neighboring hill. The round tower dominates the surrounding area and is the tallest building in Forio. Its official name is Il Torrione (the larger tower), but the locals use the shorter name - Torone.

The history of the island’s fortifications began in the ninth century. During this period, the flourishing island of Ischia began to attract the attention of the Saracens — North African sea pirates. For a long time, these were simply shelters on elevated ground, where the inhabitants hid while robbers were running amok in their homes; the small garrisons (Guarno) in the coastal villages could not protect the fishermen and peasants from the raiders. The inhabitants of the village of Citara (now located in its place is the Forio center), situated on the western shore of the island, on the side facing the open sea, suffered particularly from the pirates. Constant raids eventually forced them to move to the hill of Saint Vitus and build a fortified settlement there.

The main defensive stronghold became a small fortress with a tall round tower, which also served as a observation post. Construction of the tower began in 1480 and lasted for quite a long time. The Naples State Archive contains a “Report on the State of Affairs on the Island of Ischia,” dated 1574. The author, Pirro Antonio Stynka, writes: “The large tower in Forio was built with funds from the city treasury, for which 700 ducats were spent; equipping the tower with artillery and other weapons cost another 700 ducats.” The construction of such defensive strongholds lasted until the 17th century, and under their protection the city began to expand towards the sea. According to a report prepared in 1576, “7 towers were built in Forio, well‑equipped and armed, capable of protecting the inhabitants in the event of a pirate attack.” In total, there were 16 towers in Forio, some of which were built by wealthy families. In peacetime, they were simply their residences; during attacks, they provided shelter for the inhabitants of entire neighbourhoods. One such “private fortress,” the Morgera Tower, is located opposite the Loreto Basilica.

The tower, built at the highest point of the hill, on an outcrop of tuff, has two levels. The first, completely solid and impregnable, was intended for storing food and ammunition; there was also a tank for collecting rainwater, which made it possible to withstand a prolonged siege. The second tier was occupied by a garrison of 10 men; access to it was via an external staircase, which was removed during an attack. On the upper platform of the tower, surrounded by a crenellated parapet, there were four bronze cannons. The tower’s dominant position above the surrounding area made it possible to fire at long ranges in any direction. In “peacetime,” continuous observation of the sea and the surrounding area was carried out from the platform, which made it possible to detect an attack in advance and prepare to repel it.

In the 18th century, the raids ceased, the towers lost their defensive significance, and some were rebuilt for civilian purposes. In 1800, the Torrione Tower began to serve as the city prison, after which it was abandoned and gradually fell into disrepair. However, even then the authorities took measures to preserve the ancient fortification — the Forio archive contains an act regarding “the allocation of 20 ducats for the urgent repair of the ancient tower.”

In 1883, the fortress became a residential building — the artist, sculptor and poet Giovanni Maltese (1852–1913) settled there. Today, some of his works can be seen on the second floor of the building, while the first floor is occupied by the municipal museum. The doors were locked, and I found no information about its operating hours. Later, on the Forio website, I discovered that you can only get there by prior arrangement (tel. +39 081 3332126, info@iltorrione.org).