punta-ala-castlePunta Ala Castle

Also known as the Torre di Troia Nuova, this castle was built between 1562 and 1563 by Cosimo I de’Medici as a means by which to defend Punta Ala‘s coastal stretch from sea threats.

The castle was then replaced by the Capella di San Antonio in 1707 and later heavily renovated by the Duchy of Lorraine in the second half of the 18th century.

In 1932, the castle become the residence of Italo Balbo. Balbo did little to change the castle’s polygon shape or the tall, stone walls we see today.

He also kept castle’s U-shaped interior and central square tower, which was once extremely important for defending the coastline.

He did, however, add his own very flamboyant touches, transforming the castle from a sparse stone tower into an exquisite mansion with molded architraves, beautifully carved winding staircases and tastefully decorated interiors.

Balbo even built a terrace in the place of the original galley, providing him with the perfect spot to admire incredible views of the surrounding coastline.

As usual, this gorgeous property is now privately-owned, so we can’t poke around, but you can admire it from afar and it’s definitely worth a look!