Torre dello Zancale

A square, tapering tower above Marina di Camerota's shoreline marks the coast near the beginning of the protected area of Infreschi and Masseta. The Torre dello Zancale was begun in 1566 as part of the coastal defenses against corsair raids and restored in the early twenty-first century.

Why it matters

The tower was commissioned by the Università of Camerota, the town's administration, and its construction began in 1566 under master builder Felice Buongiorno. Work continued in 1568 under overseer Orsino Cinque. It formed part of a wider chain of coastal watchtowers along the Cilento shore. Today the building also marks the boundary of the Area Marina Protetta Costa degli Infreschi e della Masseta.

What to notice

The square plan measures about 10.70 metres on each side, and the walls rise roughly 10.80 metres to the terrace. The limestone rubble masonry tapers upward beneath a projecting crown, where fragments of the defensive machicolations remain. Inside, two stacked rooms, each about 4.30 metres square, were connected by an internal stair. The tower's position also related it to a wider watch network: its sightlines reached the inland tower of Teano and the castle of Camerota.

Context and history

A census from 1776 located the tower above Camerota's beach. Napoleonic-era inventories recorded the names Torre di Zengala and Zangala. By the mid-nineteenth century it was the only tower on this stretch still in use, housing a customs guard. It was decommissioned by decree of Vittorio Emanuele II on 30 December 1866. After later private and agricultural use, restoration began in June 2005.