San Michele Tower

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Known as the San Miguel de Arbatas Tower, it was built in the mid‑1500s on the remains of an old Pisan watchtower—before King Philip II set up the Royal Administration of the Towers.

Located by the harbor, this truncated‑cone-shaped defensive tower was made from local granite and porphyry. Inside are a cistern, a main floor, and a gun platform.

By the mid‑1600s, its garrison included a captain, a gunner, and three soldiers, armed with four cannons of various sizes, two swivel guns, and six muskets. Locals also called it the “customs tower” because it monitored incoming and outgoing ships.

Over the centuries it was modified several times. In 1946 it became the headquarters of the Guardia di Finanza (Italian Finance Police). Today it’s owned by the state and managed by the Municipality of Tortolì. It opens to visitors for special exhibitions and cultural events, and its ground floor houses the local branch of the “Marinai d’Italia” Association.