A bastion on the gold route
The tower stands isolated in a strategic position by the Anza stream along the ancient uphill route of the Anzasca Valley, known as Stra' Granda. Approximately 15 metres high, it has a square plan and is made of local squared stones, pebbles and rubble. The building has a basement and four floors. Three doors communicated with the outside, some of them elevated and accessible by retractable ladders, while the embrasures indicate the defence function of the tower. The date and reason for construction are unknown. It is speculated that it may have been built by local squires as a refuge or as a place to guard the road and collect tolls. The analysis of the masonry carried out during the restoration work promoted by the municipality points towards a dating to the Middle Ages. The historian Giovan Battista Fantonetti in a publication of 1846 mentions a lintel with the date 1408. Popular legends relate it to the family of the powerful ducal leader Facino Cane (1360-1412), who is said to have operated mines, mined gold and minted money in the valley.
The tower, which was restored in 2011 with the renovation of the top floor and roof, is now a venue for temporary exhibitions and events.
The tower can only be reached on foot from a path that leads from the state road towards the hamlet of Battiggio. The interior can be visited during exhibitions and events The tower is located along the Stra' Granda hiking route leading up the Anzasca Valley.
Credit © Susy Mezzanotte
