Torre di Ligny was a Spanish watchtower, considered today a characterizing and recalling element in the map of the city of Trapani.
Built by the architect Carlos de Grunenberg in 1671 by order of Claudio La Moraldo, prince of Ligné and viceroy of the Kingdom of Sicily, it looks like a very robust but elegant truncated pyramid-shaped tower.
The fort stands on a rock, a memory of indispensable interventions for the defense of the city against the continuous raids of the Barbary pirates, but also a sign of a proud gesture of protection and custody of the territory.
It is set on a stepped base consisting of large regular blocks of limestone, obtained from the same rocks on which the tower is built, while the entire structure was built with tuff from the Favignana quarries.
Its peculiarity is evident in the care and architectural enrichment, unusual for buildings of the same era.
THE MUSEUM
Today Torre di Ligny, completely restored inside, houses a collection of archaeological finds related to the Trapani area.
You can admire the Montefortino type helmets, dating back to the period of the First Punic War (241 BC), anchors and amphorae from the Punic and Roman period, flint and obsidian artifacts and tools that recall the prehistory of Trapani, various artifacts between elimo and the late Middle Ages.
Torre di Ligny is a monument that, in addition to fixing a glimpse of the historical-cultural reality of Trapani, manages to shed light on the flow of the history of the Mediterranean.
From its terrace, which is accessed internally by a staircase, you can enjoy a spectacular panorama that enchants any visitor in any season: the view ranges from Capo San Vito to Erice, to Marsala, a wide view of the city of Trapani, a suggestive cliff that divides the Tyrrhenian Sea from the Mediterranean Sea, while to the west you can see the Egadi islands and the small islet of Formica.
Civic Museum Ligny Tower
Address: Via Torre di Ligny, 37, 91100
Phone: +39 333 808 1462
Site:
https://www.turismotrapani.net/museo-civico-torre-di-ligny/Location inserted by
Mattia Lombardo