The San Giovanni di Sarralà Tower, in the village of Foxi Murdegu, is one of the finest examples of coastal military architecture in Ogliastra. Built of granite, it has a truncated conical shape, stands approximately 11 metres high and has a base diameter of 12.30 metres. The entrance, originally situated some 4.5 metres above ground level, made access more difficult for attackers.
Built in the early decades of the 18th century, it appears on maps dating from 1720 and was subsequently incorporated into the Savoyard system of defence for the Sardinian coast. In 1767, it was classified as a ‘gagliarda’ tower, armed with cannons and manned by a small garrison.
THE BATTLE OF 1812
In July 1812, the tower played a key role in a major defensive action during a Tunisian raid. After attacking other towers along the coast, the attackers laid siege to it for around ten hours.
The alcaide and the tower guards held out until the arrival of militiamen and citizens from Tertenia, who succeeded in repelling the attack once and for all.
The Battle of Sarralà in 1812 remains to this day one of the most significant episodes in the history of Tertenia. The tower, a symbol of the defence of the coast against raids from the sea, is an important site of remembrance and part of the local historical heritage.