Name of Monument:

Arab Tower in the Palazzo Corvaja

Location:

Taormina, Italy

Date of Monument:

After Hegira 358 / AD 969

Period / Dynasty:

Fatimid

Patron(s):

Caliph al-Mu'izz.

History:

The tower was incorporated into other parts of the building from the end of the AD 13th century.
The tower was erected between AH 358 / AD 969 and AH 470 / AD 1078, probably at the behest of Caliph al-Mu'izz, in the area of the Roman forum, which in turn was located on the site of the existing Greek agora.
Taormina was one of the last areas to be subjected by the Arabs during the occupation of Sicily and even after the conquest, Muslim control of the entire northeastern part of the island was never very stable. This resulted in the need to provide the newly conquered Taormina with effective, solid fortifications.

Description:

The square-plan tower is built on two levels and topped with crenellations. Its perfect proportions were perhaps intended to resemble the Ka’ba, the holy stone structure in Mecca.

Probably built at the behest of the Caliph al-Mu’izz, the tower stands on the site of the Roman forum, which itself was erected over the existing Greek agora. The tower is square-plan and the perfect proportions of the entire two-storey crennelated structure were perhaps intended to resemble the Ka’ba, the holy stone structure in Mecca. After the late 13th century, the tower was incorporated into other parts of the building.

How Monument was dated:

From historical sources and architectural analysis.

Selected bibliography:

Di Gregorio, G., Taormina: Le Emergenze Architettoniche dell’Edilizia Civile, Syracuse, 2002.
Siculo-Norman Art: Islamic Culture in Medieval Sicily, pp.284–6.

Citation of this web page:

Pier Paolo Racioppi "Arab Tower in the Palazzo Corvaja" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2026. 2026.
https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;it;Mon01;15;en

Prepared by: Pier Paolo RacioppiPier Paolo Racioppi

Laureato e specializzato in storia dell'arte presso l'Università di Roma “La Sapienza” sta conseguendo il dottorato di ricerca in Storia e conservazione dell'oggetto d'arte e d'architettura presso l'Università di Roma TRE. Ha svolto attività seminariali presso l'Istituto di Storia dell'Arte all'Università La Sapienza di Roma e attualmente è docente di storia dell'arte del Rinascimento presso la IES at Luiss (Roma).
Ha pubblicato diversi contributi sulla tutela artistica, il collezionismo e le accademie d'arte, ed ha collaborato al Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani dell'Enciclopedia Treccani.
Translation by: Laurence Nunny
Translation copyedited by: Monica Allen

MWNF Working Number: IT 15