The tower was built in 1305 on the highest peak of what is now known as Castello. The construction was commissioned to Sardinian architect Giovanni Capula and it was intended to play a pivotal role in the city's new defensive system, protecting the northern entrance of Castello. The tower is made of white limestone and is open on the side facing piazza Indipendenza. During the Aragonese and then Spanish domination, the fourth wall of the tower was completed, allowing it to be used as a fortified warehouse and lodgings for civil servants. Until the end of the 19th century, the tower was used as a jail. At the beginning of the 20th century, the tower underwent major restoration work and was brought back to its original 3-wall shape.