Torre dell’Elefante
Pisan tower of 1307, 42 metres high, with the statue of the elephant, defending Cagliari’s Castello quarter.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Torre dell’Elefante was designed by the architect Giovanni Capula in the early 14th century and completed in 1307. The Pisans, who had dominated Cagliari since the mid-13th century, built it together with the twin tower of San Pancrazio to defend the approaches to the Castello, the seat of the city’s political, military and religious power. The name probably derives from the ancient Ruga Leofantis, today’s Via Stretta, and on the south side, above the entrance arch, stands the statue of the elephant that serves as its symbol.
After the arrival of the Aragonese, between 1323 and 1327, the north side was closed off to use the internal spaces as storerooms and homes for Spanish officials. In the 17th and 18th centuries new buildings were attached to the tower, partly hiding its structure, and from the mid-19th century it was used as a prison. In 1906 a complete restoration returned it to its Pisan appearance.
The tower reaches 42 metres in height, divided into four floors on wooden mezzanines rebuilt during the last restoration, in the mid-1980s. Seventeen loopholes open onto the structure, and on the outside groups of coats of arms of the Pisan castellans can be seen, carved into the blocks of Bonaria limestone; the passageway through it was closed by three gates and two portcullises, of which three are still visible.
Highlights
- Pisan tower of 1307 designed by Giovanni Capula
- Statue of the elephant above the entrance arch
- Portico with the old doors in iron-clad wood
- Coats of arms of the Pisan castellans
- Founded
- 1307
- Operated by
- Comune di Cagliari
- Visitors per year
- approx. 4,448
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2students up to age 26, over 65s and groups of at least 15 people |
| Children & teens | –For safety reasons, access is forbidden to children under 12; reduced ticket of €1 for school groups. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and their companion; the building has stairs and no easier access. |
| Reduced ticket for school groups | €1 |
| Single ticket for cultural heritage sites (Torre dell’Elefante, Cripta di Santa Restituta, Grotta della Vipera, Roman amphitheatre, Passeggiata coperta, Galleria dello Sperone; valid 1 week) | €8 |
Free admission also for tourist guides with an ID card. The ticket office is at Via Santa Croce 2.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The tower has stairs and no easier access for people with reduced mobility.
Kids & families
Recommended for ages 12+
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours every hour from 10:15 (in summer also from 15:15). For safety reasons, access is prohibited for children under 12. |
