The Angevin Tower was built during the reign of Joanna I of Anjou (1343-1382), likely on the foundations of a pre-existing Norman structure. With a circular layout and a height of 25 meters, it features corbels and battlements at the top. The tower overlooks the Santa Maria and Fortore valleys, playing a key role in territorial defense.
Its construction is attributed to 1369, based on a royal document stating that Queen Joanna I, aiming to protect and repopulate the area devastated by the plundering of Louis of Hungary’s troops, ordered the erection of a tall and majestic tower surrounded by a castle. The interior consists of multiple floors, each equipped with a fireplace to keep the troops warm during harsh winters. The tower also contained a “trabucco,” a gruesome device used to throw the bodies of tortured prisoners or soldiers.
Next to the tower stood a castle, now in ruins, on which Marquis B. Rota later built his palace. Over the centuries, the tower changed hands multiple times until it was acquired by the D’Antini family, who donated it to the Municipality in 1959.