The Torretta di Santa Tecla is the watch post built on the tip of the Apa rock, in the seaside village of Santa Tecla, in Acireale. The spot is now called «a Rita Lapa», a blend of the words garitta, watch post, and Apa. It is still standing.
What to see
The watch post was built to defend the coast from corsair raids: from the sixteenth century corsairs landed here to take on supplies. The best-known raid is that of the pirate Luccialì, who landed at Santa Tecla on 3 May 1582 with seven galleys and three hundred men: landings took place in the area called Cocole, below the Timpa, where the galleys could not be seen from the Aci towns further west.
The building of seven watch posts «for the guard of the coast» was ordered by Don Francesco, Count of Ventimiglia and Marquis of Iraci, and one was planned «at Santa Tecla and the Apa», a very tall spur of rock. The contract, kept in the historic archive of the town of Acireale, assigned the work to the builder Vincenzo Greco on 23 August 1625, with the obligation to finish within two years: this is why the tower is also called Torre del Greco, and it is believed to have been ready by 1627.
Visiting
The tower stands on the village's rocky shore; access to the rock should be checked on site.
Our editors' tip
From the main square of Santa Tecla you can see the Rinella, the most characteristic of the small coves in the lava rocks, where boats shelter in summer.
