Torre Normanno-Sveva (Torre Civica)

Seventeen metres of limestone rise above Cisternino's main square. Raised by the Normans in the eleventh century and largely rebuilt at the end of the fourteenth, the tower once guarded Porta Grande, the town's principal entrance. A statue of Saint Nicholas crowns its summit.

Why it matters

Standing beside the Mother Church where the lanes of the historic centre open onto Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, the Norman-Swabian Tower is a surviving sign of Cisternino's medieval defences. It is also known as the Torre Civica, Torre Grande and Torre di Porta Grande, recalling its former role at the town gate.

What to notice

The square shaft reflects the tower's successive remodellings since its Norman beginnings. At the top, a small statue of Saint Nicholas is described as a blessing figure. Tower and Mother Church face the main square together, joining the civic and religious landmarks of the historic centre.

Context and history

The tower's first phase is credited to the Normans, who organised the region in the eleventh century. The structure was largely rebuilt at the end of the fourteenth century, giving it much of the form visible today. Porta Grande, the main gate, no longer survives, but the tower retains its association with the entrance it once watched. Over time it passed from military role to civic monument.