The Italian architect Giovan Giacomo Paleari Fratino designed the Tour de Mortella and Colonel Giorgio Doria directed the construction between 1563 and 1564. It was one of a series of coastal defences constructed by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to repulse attacks by Barbary pirates.[1]
Late in the previous year, the tower's French defenders had abandoned the tower after HMS Lowestoffe (32 guns) had fired two broadsides at it. The French easily dislodged the garrison of Corsican patriots that had replaced them.[2] Still, the British were impressed by the effectiveness of the tower when it was properly supplied and defended so they copied the design. However, they misspelled the name as "Martello" for "Mortella". When the British withdrew from Corsica in 1796, they blew up the tower and left it in an unusable state.[3]
Current statusedit
The ruined tower was listed as one of the official Historical Monuments of France in 1991.[4] The database incorrectly gives the date of construction as 1553–1554. This earlier date is when Spanish and Genoese troops led by Admiral Andrea Doria besieged the French forces occupying the port of Saint-Florent after the Franco-Turkish invasion of the island.
Since 1980 the French government agency the Conservatoire du littoral has owned and maintained the site. The Conservatoire plans to purchase 6,663 hectares (16,460 acres) of the surrounding coastline and as of 2017[update] had acquired 5,935 hectares (14,670 acres).[5][6]
Plan and elevation of the tower. The artist was probably a British army officer. c. 1794.
^Base Mérimée: Tour de la Mortella, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
^"Tour Genoise de la Mortella" (PDF). Catalogue monuments historiques (Report) (in French). Conservatoire du Littoral, Ministère de l'écologie, du développement durable et de l'énergie, République Française. July 2011. p. 42. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
^"Agriate". Conservatoire du littoral, Ministère de l'écologie, du développement durable et de l'énergie. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
Referencesedit
Graziani, Antoine-Marie (2000). "Les ouvrages de défense en Corse contre les Turcs (1530-1650)". In Vergé-Franceschi, Michel; Graziani, Antoine-Marie (eds.). La guerre de course en Méditerranée (1515-1830) (in French). Paris: Presses de l'Université Paris IV-Sorbonne. pp. 73–144. ISBN2-84050-167-8.
Nivaggioni, Mathieu; Verges, Jean-Marie. (in French). Archived from the original on 2015-12-11. Retrieved 2014-05-14. Information on how to reach 90 towers. Includes 1,261 photographs.
This article about a Corsica building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
torra, mortella, tower, mortella, corsican, ruined, genoese, tower, corsica, located, coast, near, punta, mortella, myrtle, point, commune, saint, florent, haute, corse, progenitor, numerous, martello, towers, british, built, 19th, century, throughout, their, . The Tower of Mortella Corsican Torra di Mortella is a ruined Genoese tower on Corsica located on the coast near Punta Mortella Myrtle Point in the commune of Saint Florent Haute Corse It was a progenitor of the numerous Martello towers the British built in the 19th century throughout their empire Tower of MortellaNative name Corsican Torre di MortellaLocationSaint Florent Haute CorseCoordinates42 42 54 N 9 15 25 E 42 71500 N 9 25694 E 42 71500 9 25694Built1563 1564ArchitectGiovan Giacomo Paleari FratinoMonument historiqueDesignated1991Reference no PA00099279Location of Tower of Mortella in Corsica Contents 1 History 2 Current status 3 See also 4 Citations 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe Italian architect Giovan Giacomo Paleari Fratino designed the Tour de Mortella and Colonel Giorgio Doria directed the construction between 1563 and 1564 It was one of a series of coastal defences constructed by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to repulse attacks by Barbary pirates 1 On 7 February 1794 two British warships HMS Fortitude 74 guns and HMS Juno 32 guns unsuccessfully attacked the tower at Mortella Point the tower eventually fell to land based forces under Major General David Dundas and Lieutenant General John Moore after two days of heavy fighting 2 Late in the previous year the tower s French defenders had abandoned the tower after HMS Lowestoffe 32 guns had fired two broadsides at it The French easily dislodged the garrison of Corsican patriots that had replaced them 2 Still the British were impressed by the effectiveness of the tower when it was properly supplied and defended so they copied the design However they misspelled the name as Martello for Mortella When the British withdrew from Corsica in 1796 they blew up the tower and left it in an unusable state 3 Current status editThe ruined tower was listed as one of the official Historical Monuments of France in 1991 4 The database incorrectly gives the date of construction as 1553 1554 This earlier date is when Spanish and Genoese troops led by Admiral Andrea Doria besieged the French forces occupying the port of Saint Florent after the Franco Turkish invasion of the island Since 1980 the French government agency the Conservatoire du littoral has owned and maintained the site The Conservatoire plans to purchase 6 663 hectares 16 460 acres of the surrounding coastline and as of 2017 update had acquired 5 935 hectares 14 670 acres 5 6 nbsp nbsp Plan and elevation of the tower The artist was probably a British army officer c 1794 See also editMartello Tower List of Genoese towers in Corsica Agriates DesertCitations edit Graziani 2000 pp 115 117 a b Sutcliffe 1973 p 20 Sutcliffe 1973 p 22 Base Merimee Tour de la Mortella Ministere francais de la Culture in French Tour Genoise de la Mortella PDF Catalogue monuments historiques Report in French Conservatoire du Littoral Ministere de l ecologie du developpement durable et de l energie Republique Francaise July 2011 p 42 Retrieved 27 April 2015 Agriate Conservatoire du littoral Ministere de l ecologie du developpement durable et de l energie Retrieved 16 March 2017 References editGraziani Antoine Marie 2000 Les ouvrages de defense en Corse contre les Turcs 1530 1650 In Verge Franceschi Michel Graziani Antoine Marie eds La guerre de course en Mediterranee 1515 1830 in French Paris Presses de l Universite Paris IV Sorbonne pp 73 144 ISBN 2 84050 167 8 Sutcliffe Sheila 1973 Martello Towers Cranbury NJ Associated Universities Press ISBN 0 8386 1313 6 External links editNivaggioni Mathieu Verges Jean Marie Les Tours Genoises Corses in French Archived from the original on 2015 12 11 Retrieved 2014 05 14 Information on how to reach 90 towers Includes 1 261 photographs nbsp This article about a Corsica building or structure is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Torra di Mortella amp oldid 1183354235, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
