PAOLINE TOWER (NONZA TOWER)
Square, grey-green schist tower on the site of the former château at Nonza.
It is one of the watchtowers of the Cap Corse. This tower is located on the eastern side of the Cape, above Nonza, on a rocky outcrop at 167 m altitude. The tower of Nonza was a watchtower located on its promontory overhanging the village in order to watch the gulf of Saint-Florent. This square tower of grey-green schist is located on the site of the old castle of Nonza. The Monte where it is located represents a strategic position and was therefore chosen by the Avogari lords to build their castle in the 12th century. Their medieval fortress was destroyed by the Genoese in 1489. In 1760, Pascal Paoli ordered the construction of a watchtower at the top of the Monte to protect the gulf. The Paoline tower of Nonza is registered as a historical monument. It was the subject of a vast renovation programme in 1969, during which its 3 watchtowers were rebuilt, small corbelled structures intended to shelter a lookout and offer him a view and shooting angles over a wide horizon. In 1768, during the Pauline wars, it was the seat of a military exploit. Jacques Casella, abandoned by his men, single-handedly defended it against the troops of the French general Grand-Maison, before running out of ammunition. The French officer then asked him where the rest of his troop was, to which he proudly replied: "It's all in me. The tower can be reached by a fairly strenuous climb.
To reach it a charming little district is crossed and once at the summit, the view is magnificent!
The famous Nonza beach with its inscriptions and the view of the village are top!