Deepening :

The solitary beauty of Torre Truglia

One of Sperlonga’s main landmark is Torre Truglia, the best preserved of four watchtowers that once stood sentry over Sperlonga.

The tower, which sits on an elevated base of land and rocks, was built in 1532 over an existing Roman lookout tower and was reconstructed in the 18th century.

The view takes in miles of beach. The tower, very well preserved, was built by the Spanish (16th century) as a look out against the Saracens.

Its square-base rests on an older circular platform dating back to the Roman age and could have been the remaining structure of the lighthouse ‘il Trullo’ cited during mediaeval times, from which Torre Truglia takes its name.


Piracy was widespread all along the coasts of Italy from the 9th century on.


The tower provided shelter in case of sudden pirates’ attack. In their fierce raids, the Muslim Saracen pirates sacked, slaughter and burned towns and villages, capturing Christians to be made and sold as slaves.


At that time, after centuries of isolation and decline, Sperlonga had not much to offer to the rapacious raiders, but its open shores and isolated sheltered bay with no fortification, it could be easily used as a base for the pirates’ landings, from which they could move to raid the nearby towns and inland villages on the slopes of the Aurunci’s mountains.


These raids became more severe and frequent during the second half of the 15th century.


The village was frequently victim of Turkish sackings, the most famous of which took place on a summer day on 8 August 1534.