Torre dell'Elefante

The Torre dell'Elefante, in Cagliari

The Torre dell'Elefante is an emblematic medieval tower of Cagliari, recognisable by the small elephant sculpted on its façade. The Cagliari audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this defensive work built in 1307 by the Pisans, whose animal recalls one of the symbols of Pisa, and whose one hundred and nineteen steps lead to a summit offering a remarkable view of the city and the eventful history of Sardinia.

History

The small elephant prettily sculpted on the façade gave its name to this medieval tower. The Torre dell'Elefante was built in 1307, when Sardinia was under the domination of the Republic of Pisa, of which the elephant was one of the symbols. Thirty metres high, it is climbed by one hundred and nineteen steps to a summit from which you dominate the city. The original portcullis, the mechanism that operated the door, is still in place, which is remarkable. Built by the Pisans, the tower then served everyone, for Sardinia was at all times a coveted territory: after the first Nuragic civilisations succeeded Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans, then, at the decline of the Empire, the Vandals; abandoned by Byzantium, the Sardinians called for help from the Republics of Genoa and Pisa. Later, the pope gave Sardinia to the crown of Aragon, and the Spanish settled to the point that Catalan was the official language of the island until the end of the eighteenth century. With the Torre di San Pancrazio, the tower of the Elephant is one of the last witnesses of the Pisan era.

What to see

Here you admire a medieval tower of thirty metres built in 1307 by the Pisans, adorned with the small elephant that gives it its name, symbol of Pisa; its original portcullis is still in place, and its one hundred and nineteen steps lead to a remarkable view of the city. The Torre dell'Elefante is one of the great symbols of the Castello district of Cagliari. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Torre dell'Elefante stands in the historic Castello district, in Cagliari, reachable on foot. The climb is paying and the hours vary according to the season. It is best to enquire before coming and to plan good shoes to climb its one hundred and nineteen steps.

Why does the Torre dell'Elefante of Cagliari bear this name?

Because of the small elephant sculpted on its façade, one of the symbols of the Republic of Pisa that had it built in 1307; thirty metres high, this medieval defensive tower preserves its original portcullis and is climbed by one hundred and nineteen steps to a remarkable view of the city, counting among the last witnesses of the Pisan era.

Where is the Torre dell'Elefante in Cagliari?

In the historic Castello district, in Cagliari, in Italy.