tranlsated with AI
The first news that could lead us to hypothesize the presence of the Tower of Pizzofalcone dates back to 1283, during the Angevin period, when a “Castle of Roccella di S. Vittore” is mentioned. We must be very cautious in defining the term “castle” as it often carries a different meaning from what we understand today.
What we do have certainty about is a structure on the highest peak of the cliff, probably constituting an initial fortified nucleus, known as Monte Falcone.
To ascertain the presence of the Tower as it has come down to us, we must navigate by sight. We can only advance hypotheses, mainly dictated by logic in the absence of documentary evidence. Usually, during the Middle Ages, various towers built along the coasts as lookout points were erected on the highest and most visible peaks, one next to the other. We believe that the Tower of Pizzofalcone arose since the first mention of the “castle”: perhaps there could be doubts about its size if it corresponds to its current dimensions.
We must wait until 1534, when it is explicitly mentioned in the Platea of Giovan Battista Carafa: “…the land of Roccellae, towards the mountains, holds a castle or fortress called Monti Falconi, with a tower built and situated on a certain mountain…”.
The presence of an armed fortification built around the tower was, in the past, a reassuring figure for the people, who were constantly panicked by the raids of pirates and barbarians coming from the sea, leading to the abandonment of the coast and the move to the fortress.
This fortification around the Tower is detailed in the Appraisal of Roccella from the early 18th century. “The said Contrada, and Parish (of S. Anastasia) is named after a large mountain peak, and also from this district it extends to another high mountain called Pizzofalcone, to which part of it is implanted with a road inside the town, and part with stairs of masonry built into the same peak; at the end of which is found a recent masonry of the fortification of a Tower situated above said element, in which enclosure for a masonry grate, and with a few steps, it is planted to a parade ground, in which some pieces of artillery are placed, and from said square, with an ascent, one reaches the Tower located in the highest part of said irregular rock, and in front of it, there is another small parade ground where there are two other pieces of artillery placed, from which there is a view of the City, and the surrounding countryside.
The said Tower, and fortification are titled as a Castle, and in times of excess, there was a Castellan the magnificent D. Gaetano Mari, Gentleman of Castelvetere, with the usual provision given to other Tower keepers”.
The Tower of Pizzofalcone has endured various natural events, such as floods, earthquakes, etc.
The only news that could suggest some damage to its structure is derived from a report of an inspection carried out by a government technical expert who examined all the various towers, on behalf of the authorities of the time, in the aftermath of the infamous earthquake of 1783.
Regarding our Pizzofalcone Tower, the technician sent by the Government recommended “the construction of a new Tower nearby”. It is not excluded that the violence of the earthquake may have caused some stones or sections of the upper wall to collapse.
During the last war, for military reasons, a tunnel was dug under the peak of Monte Falcone with two openings, observation points on the east side of the Tower and two openings on the west side, one of which represents the entrance and guard gate.