Argentiera Tower

A medievaltower located in the northern inland region of Monte Argentario, it formed the keep of a small castle (Castrum Argentaria or Castello Argentaro) that remained active from the fallof the Roman Empire through the entire period of Sienese rule (first half of the 16th century), when this part of the promontory was leased to adventurers engaged in the futile search for the legendary silver mines.

In the second half of the 16th century, with the arrival of the Spanish, the fortification became a secondary lookout point due to its distance from the sea, to the extent that it is no longer mentioned in documents and maps from subsequent centuries.

It has a square plan with sides measuring 5 meters, no sloped base, and a height of about 20 meters; it features a single small opening located high up on the northeast side, which was accessed via a ladder that was retracted in case of danger.

Left in ruins and abandoned for centuries, the tower has recently undergone restoration and excavation work by the Superintendency, which has unearthed traces of the ancient medieval settlement, including the city walls, a small church, a water cistern, and several residential structures.

Location: φ = 42° 25’ 07” N – λ = 11° 07’ 37” E.

Directions: From Porto S. Stefano, take Provincial Road 161 for 1.4 km until you reach the junction for Pozzarello. Turn right and follow the paved road for 300 meters, then turn right again at the 1.7 km mark, where a dirt road begins that climbs through the woods to the tower. From the top of the hill—252 meters above sea level—you can enjoy a sweeping view of the Gulf of S. Stefano-Talamone.