Entrance to the dock from Tower of the Molo Gallo
The Tower of the Gallo was built in 1733, it was rebuilt in 1934 after the reconstruction of the corresponding pier.
Tower of the Gallo is located at the pier of the same name in Portoferraio, it is a coastal tower where the lighthouse of the Royal Palace is located. It owes its name to the ancient presence, on its top, of a rooster in gilded bronze which, according to tradition, was the work of the sculptor Giambologna. This work was stolen at the end of the eighteenth century. The Gallo pier closes the dock of Portoferraio to the southwest.
Tower of the Gallo
The tower is squat with a quadrangular plan, with a corded shoe base and an internal gallery; in the central part of the top of the eastern facade rests a smaller tower-shaped structure with a square section which culminates at the apex with a metal rooster which gives the structure its name. Originally, in addition to carrying out defensive functions, it was the seat of the lazaret; after the reconstruction of the pier, it housed the barracks of the Regia Guardia di Finanza starting from 1934.
The Chain from Molo Gallo to Tower of the Linguella to close the port
In 1550 Cosimo de ‘Medici had a large and heavy chain installed to close the dock, it was 135 meters long, and was made up of boards joined by iron rings. The chain was stretched from the Torre del Molo Gallo to the Torre della Linguella , on the opposite side of the dock. Thus preventing entry and exit from the dock, this with the dual purpose of making the port safer and facilitating the collection of the customs duty.
The Battery of the Rooster
It was intended to keep ships anchored in the harbor in awe. It is a walled platform with slits on the dock at the western tip of the dock. It occupies the surface of 96 square meters. Now it would not be of any use in the defense. It is handed over to the Ministry of the Navy for the use of the Harbor Master’s Office, which has its headquarters in the building that stands on the other side of the port, on the side opposite the Molo Gallo.
360 ° view from the Tower of the Linguella or the Hammer
How to reach the Tower of the Molo Gallo
The Tower of the Molo Gallo is located at the entrance to the tourist port of Portoferraio. At the beginning of the limited traffic area of the historic center, if we arrive by car, we can park on the same pier.