Western Liguria: a network of fortifications, from the coast reaches the interior valleys

Abstract

Western Liguria since the XV-XVI century has a dense network of communication between the coast and the villages of the inland valleys by watchtowers from the coast to inland populations to report the arrival of the "Turks". We think of the round tower Prarola in Imperia P.M., which from the sea, near the coast on the left of the mouth of the Prino stream, could collect the messages that came from the west and send reports to the square tower of Borgo Foce. The reporting line could continue towards the Piani rectangular tower to continue toward the round one in Torrazza. The messages between tower and tower formed a broken line bypassing the Prino, continued to Isolalunga, Costacarnara up to Dolcedo. The network consists essentially of two types of structures: massive towers mainly circular, often remote location and lower structures inserted into the urban fabric of the villages, a rectangular overlooking housing facilities in order to send the messages. This work is the first step of a larger project concerning the formalization and re-reading of a "digital network towers". The ”Imperia Porto Maurizio” is a model that is similar in the neighboring valleys of Taggia, Sanremo to Ventimiglia.