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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Tour Saint-Jean

Morsiglia, Haute-Corse, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, registered (inscrit), in part
Protection
inscrit MH partiellement
Extent of protection
Façades et toitures (cad. B 317) : inscription par arrêté du 30 janvier 1990
Protection dates
1990/01/30 : inscrit MH
Type
édifice fortifié
Main period of construction
15e siècle
Ownership
propriété privée
Commune
Morsiglia
Département
Haute-Corse
Region
Corse
Country
France
Coordinates
42.94525, 9.36651
Mérimée reference
PA00099266

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IGN France — Géoportail

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1783 map "Corse." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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This record on the Ministère de la Culture's POP platform ↗

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

Au 15e siècle, époque à laquelle les Caporali, représentant des communes, s'entredéchirent, les habitants du Cap Corse élèvent trente-deux tours pour se protéger. Ces tours de guet sont souvent rondes. Celles de Morsiglia sont carrées, édifiées par les notables pendant la période de transfert de souveraineté de Pise à Gênes. La tour de Saint-Jean fait partie des quatre qui protégeaient le hameau de Pecorile. Haute de seize mètres, elle est couronnée de mâchicoulis soutenant une terrasse. Le tout est construit en moëllons de schiste liés par de l'argile. La porte donne sur une terrasse aménagée plus tardivement.

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

In the 15th century, at a time when the Caporali, representing communes, were tearing each other apart, the inhabitants of Cape Corsica built thirty-two towers to protect themselves. These watch towers are often round. Those of Morsiglia are square, built by the notables during the period of transfer of sovereignty from Pisa to Genoa. The tower of Saint-Jean is one of four that protected the hamlet of Pecorile. Sixteen metres high, it is crowned with machicolations supporting a terrace. All of this is built of schist rubble stone bonded with clay. The door opens onto a terrace arranged at a later date.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Base Mérimée, Ministère de la Culture, data last updated 2026-09-17, reused under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab). Record text is reproduced unchanged. Ministère de la Culture · Licence Ouverte 2.0
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