It is here more than anywhere else in the
Mediterranean that the landscape has been modelled by the ferocious raids
conducted, for more than two
hundreds years, by the Berber pirates from North Africa till the XVII century. At that time
the pirates had their dens in
all the Mediterranean coasts up to Marseille.
The coasts of the island where the least secure places where to live and
the inhabitants forced to flee in the inland.
In the times of the Maritime Republics, Pisa and Genoa started a harsh
war against the pirates and it is in this period that the coastal
defence towers have been built against the unceasing Berbers incursions.
The majority of towers that can be seen today go back to the Genoese
domination of Corsica, they had the role of surveillance of the sea and the
defence of the coasts. More than 90 towers punctuate Capo Corso erected
mainly during
the XVI and XVII century. Most of them, still in a good state of
conservation, are similar to corresponding towers built on the Ligurian
coast.
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Corsica, Capo Corso: tower of Osse
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The tower of Osse, an imposing construction in
a perfect state of conservation, on the western side of the cape, few kilometres
south of Santa Severa.
Corsica, Capo Corso: tower of Marina de Negru |
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Marina de Negru, with its Genoese tower from 16th century
on the northern side on the beach.
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Corsica, Capo Corso: tower of Nonza
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At the top of the promontory where Nonza
sit there is an ancient tower of green serpentine that
stands out on a square base towering from a rocky shear cliff on the cove
below. From the top of the stronghold the sight is fascinating: to the
north the deep blue of the Mediterranean sea contrasts with the
"black beach" color due to the grey gravel left by the ancient
mine of Canari, now closed since 1966.
The tower of Nonza, built at 167 m of altitude, was built by the order of the
revolutionary Pasquale Paoli on the site of an old Genoese castle of the
XII century. In accordance with a local legend on 1708 a.d. a certain captain
Casella of the rebel army on a brave solitude hold the tower against the
assault of 1,200 French soldiers, shooting with all the guns left by his
fellow compatriots. When finally surrender he was on the point to be
killed by the blockaders, that realised to have fought against a single
man. But he had the luck to be saved by Grancimaison, the general of the
french troops, that recognise him as a hero.
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