San Leonardo Tower, located in Ostuni along the Adriatic coast, is a 16th-century coastal tower built by the Aragonese. It stands on a site already frequented in Roman times, the mutatio ad Decimum, a postal station on the Via Traiana. Today the tower, privately owned, is not open to visitors, but it represents a point of historical and scenic interest within the Dune Costiere Regional Nature Park.
Ancient History: the site was a Roman mutatio, 10 miles from Egnazia, mentioned in the Itinerarium Burdigalense.
Architecture: square tower in brick and stone, with a truncated pyramid base on the sea side, originally equipped with artillery.
Location: within the Dune Costiere Park, ideal for walks combining nature and history.
Curiosity: the name derives from the Abbey of San Leonardo di Siponto; it was also called ‘del Pilone’ because it marked the border of Terra d’Otranto.
Events nearby
Overlooking the Adriatic, San Leonardo Tower in Ostuni rises on the remains of a Roman mutatio along the Via Traiana. Built by the Aragonese in the 16th century, it is now privately owned, but its history fascinates visitors to the Dune Costiere Park.
- Via della Torre, Brindisi (BR)
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- View on Google Images Torre San Leonardo a Brindisi
Itineraries nearby
💡 Did You Know…?
According to local traditions, the tower was connected via a secret passage to the nearby Abbey of San Leonardo, used by monks to take refuge during Saracen raids. Every year, on the feast of San Leonardo, the inhabitants of Ostuni light bonfires on the beach opposite, evoking ancient light signals.