Norman Tower
Architecture
Regione Calabria
The Norman Tower in San Marco Argentano is one of the defensive and watchtower buildings against attacks by Saracen pirates. The entire town of San Marco Argentano, in the province of Cosenza, has Norman origins and is the heir to the ancient Argentanum. Also known as Drogone's Tower, named after the half-brother of Robert Guiscard, who laid the foundations of his ambitious political-military project here between the Crati Valley and the Plain of Sybaris, the Norman Tower in San Marco Argentano was an integral part of the fortress that became the emblem of his power.
Over the centuries, the Norman Tower of San Marco Argentano underwent adaptations and remodelling according to its intended use: Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, for example, used it as a prison, having his own rebellious son Henry VII, known as the ‘’Sciancato‘’, imprisoned there for seven years. Like any self-respecting mediaeval place, the Norman Tower in San Marco Argentano is also shrouded in stories and legends, first and foremost the one according to which there is an underground tunnel linking it to the Abbey of S. Maria della Matina, wanted by Guiscardo as an escape route and supply in case of siege.
Today, the Norman Tower in San Marco Argentano is owned by the municipality, which uses it as a venue for cultural and artistic events.
