MILITARY ROUTE

The viscounty of Cabrera was articulated through a network of castles and fortified houses, which served as the seats of political and military power for the nobility during the Middle Ages. This defensive system was supplemented by a number of walled villages and watchtowers.

The tower was so named because in front of it stood the Convent of the Minim Friars of Saint Francis of Paola, which is now the town hall. Built in the 13th century, this 33-metre-high structure is the tallest defensive element in the town of Hostalric. It features three storeys, and the original entrance was located on the first floor; to enhance its defensibility, it did not have a permanent staircase. The highest part was crowned by a magnificent machicolation, which has partly survived, although a large portion of the upper section was destroyed during a bombardment in the Peninsular War (1810). Today, all three storeys are open to visitors and house a permanent exhibition on medieval Hostalric and the Peninsular War. A lift takes visitors up to the lookout point on the terrace at the top of the tower.