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A historic bulwark against attacks from the sea, it stands beside the wide beach of San Giovanni di Muravera, on the enchanting south-eastern coast of Sardinia

Architecturally, it is one of the most beautiful coastal towers on the island, and certainly the one with the most original shape. In order to protect what was then the 'gateway' to the town of Muravera, it was not built next to the town, but literally above it. It is no coincidence that the Torre dei Dieci Cavalli is also known as the ‘gate tower’. The building is located in San Giovanni, in a position that in ancient times was an unavoidable point along the 'strada reale' (royal road) to reach Muravera and the villages of the Sarrabus hinterland coming from the southern coast, as on either side there were - and in part still are - pools and marshy areas that were difficult to cross. The year of construction is not known, but the tower was operational as early as 1581, serving as a watchtower and as light defence. It owes its name, which translates to 'Tower of Ten Horses', to the fact that it was constantly manned by a force of ten mounted guards, ready to gallop to raise the alarm in nearby villages if pirate ships were spotted. Barbary raids were a devastating plague in Sarrabus between the 16th and 18th centuries. The construction of the fortification consists of three elements. The first is the gate itself, nine metres wide, six metres high and five metres deep. The two sides of the gate have arches of different shapes: a pointed arch on the side facing Muravera, while the side facing south, where the attackers came from, has a lowered arch and a narrowing, with supports and slabs embedded in the ground. The door serves as the base for the tower, which is about seven metres high with a circular plan. The diameter is as wide as the door. Access was though a doorway located to the west, by means of a ladder which was pulled back inside afterwards. The third architectural element is the remains of a curtain wall, which can be seen on the western side of the tower. Along the wall you can see a series of embrasures that were used by the guards. The sea is a few hundred metres away. In front of the tower is the long, narrow beach of San Giovanni. Thanks to its size it is never too crowded and is known for its light, soft sand, the eucalyptus trees close to the beach (under which you can take shelter during the hottest hours of the day) and the crystal-clear sea with shades of emerald green. Nearby, parking, refreshments, and beach equipment rentals are available. About 800 metres north of the tower stands the building that gave the town its name, the small rustic church of San Giovanni. Probably Byzantine in origin, it was abandoned and renovated several times, most recently in 2005. Its stone structure, with a longitudinal plan, featuring a wooden architrave and sloped roof, is surrounded by greenery.

Muravera

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