The Torre Matilde is located alongside the mouth of the Burlamacca Canal, on the road to Migliarino Pisano. Its name is a result of mistaken identity. It was though that the Countess Matilda of Canossa had commissioned the building of the tower in the 12th century, but it was actually built between 1534 and 1542 by order of the lucchese government, who wanted to protect the only access to the sea in the entire region. Years later, a palace was built alongside the tower, which was home to the Commissioner of the beach, the authority put in charge of monitoring commercial activity. The palace was later joined to a tower by an open gallery. From the 18th century onwards, the military construction lost its defensive function due to the erosion of the coastline.
The Matilda Tower has maintained its three-tiered structure over the years, with a terrace and an empty cistern in the basement. During the 19th century, and right up until the Second World War, this space was used as a dungeon. Having undergone restoration work between 1970 and 1980, it is now used to host cultural functions.

Photos © APT Versilia