Torre Isulidda - San Vito lo Capo

The village originated in the 200s with the arrival of San Vito, the town's patron saint and martyr.

A chapel dedicated to him became a place of pilgrimage, and over time the fame of the later church and of the "miracles" attributed to the martyr Vito grew. The original fortress was built to welcome the numerous believers who came on pilgrimage and especially to protect them against thieves and bandits . This construction dates from the end of the fifteenth century. From the beginning, the shrine was the center of great devotion, and the fame of the miracles performed by the saint here also transcended the borders of Sicily, attracting countless pilgrims in every season. Even the pirates themselves, declared enemies of the Catholic faith, respected the saint and his temple.

Meanwhile, the dangers of raids by Barbary pirates increased, so numerous watchtowers began to be built along the coasts of the island. The main towers were three, two are still visible and are the Scieri Tower and the Isolidda Tower. The third, the Roccazzo Tower, located on the Soprano plain that extends west of the city of San Vito (the site was chosen specifically because it was the only one that could guarantee correspondence with the other two towers), was demolished to place to make for the traffic light army in 1935.

Willem Vandenameele