The Torre di Cala Grande is a coastal tower located along the west coast of Monte Argentario, in the homonymous municipal territory, near the namesake cove.
The tower was built by the Sienese during the Renaissance, more precisely during the fifteenth century, with defensive and sighting functions along what was, at that time, the southern coastal stretch of the Republic of Siena. Originally, it was called Torre di Poggio de ‘Porri.
The fortification was restored in the late seventeenth century by the Spaniards, to implement and improve the defensive system of the State of the Presidios and to protect the most Western coasts of the Argentario.
In the eighteenth century the tower was further armed in 1739 and, in 1779, with a restructuring intervention was given a more fortified appearance.
In the nineteenth century the chapel of the Madonna del Rosario, later lost, was built near the tower. The tower has carried out its functions of sighting, defense and offense until the end of the nineteenth century when the complex, which in the meantime had passed to the Ministry of Defense as a result of the unification of Italy, was deeply modified and turned into a lighthouse, whose management was entrusted to the Navy.
In the second half of the last century the lighthouse was also abandoned, the complex was sold to private individuals and turned into a residential building.
The Torre di Cala Grande has a completely altered appearance compared to the original late-seventeenth century structure. The works, which led to the transformation of the lighthouse lookout tower complex, took place between the late nineteenth and early twentieth century; they are decisive results in the change of the original appearance of the structure.
The wall structures that made up the tower were found to be completely incorporated within the current complex.
Some traces of the original stone wall structures are still visible, with a cordonatura delimiting the shoe base in the upper part, which has been preserved together with the characteristic flight of stairs leading to the mezzanine floor to the one that used to be the only access door to the structure. defensive.
Originally, the tower had a square section, without crowns.
