Torre dell'Elefante (Elephant Tower), Cagliari

The Elephant Tower is one of the most significant medieval landmarks in Cagliari standing as the second tallest medieval tower in the city after the San Pancrazio Tower. Located in the historic Castello district, the tower can be accessed from Via Santa Croce, Via Università, and Cammino Nuovo, and offers breathtaking panoramic views of Cagliari and its surrounding landscapes. Constructed from pietra forte di Cagliari, a white limestone quarried from Bonaria, the tower follows the typical Pisan architectural style, with three solid limestone sides and an open fourth side facing Castello, revealing four floors supported by wooden mezzanines.

Defensive elements included three massive doors, two shutters, and a wooden scaffolding structure, used to repel invaders from above. The tower’s most distinctive feature, from which it derives its name, is a small stone elephant sculpture protruding from the south-facing wall, a symbol commonly used by the Republic of Pisa. The Elephant Tower features several medieval coats of arms, including those of the Pisan castellans, carved into the limestone walls.

Built in 1307 by Pisan architect Giovanni Capula, the Elephant Tower was designed to protect the Castello district, the city's political and military stronghold during Pisan rule. It was constructed alongside its twin, the San Pancrazio Tower, to fortify Cagliari against external threats. When the Aragonese took control of Sardinia between 1323 and 1327, they closed off the north-facing side, converting the interior into storage spaces and housing for Spanish officials. Over the following centuries, the tower saw multiple transformations—additional buildings were constructed around it in the 17th and 18th centuries, partially obscuring its imposing façade.

By the mid-19th century, the tower had been repurposed as a prison, before undergoing a major restoration in 1906, which removed later modifications and restored its original Pisan design. A further restoration in the 1980s rebuilt the wooden mezzanine floors, allowing visitors to experience the structure much as it was in medieval times.