The Angevin Tower is the largest and most resilient of the twenty-eight towers that once lined the defensive walls of Bitonto. Built at the end of the 14th century, it stands on an earlier Norman-Swabian fortification site and was designed to protect Baresana Gate, one of the city’s main entrances.

Despite the passing centuries, the tower’s exterior has remained remarkably well-preserved. Its cylindrical structure is typical of Angevin military architecture, with a diameter of 16.32 meters, a circumference of over 50 meters, and a height of 24 meters from the current ground level. The lower level is stone, while the upper floors are built from tuff and crowned with a simple battlement.

Inside, the tower still bears traces of its original defensive purpose. The ground floor, circular in shape, features the edge of a deep well. The spherical ceiling has a rectangular opening that once allowed access to the first floor via a wooden ladder. Two small windows let in light, and a narrow door on the north side once connected the tower to the city walls and neighboring towers.

The first floor has an octagonal layout with a cross-vaulted ceiling. Visitors can admire a 14th-century fireplace—an elegant feature with small pillars, attached half-columns, sculpted capitals, and niches. A side room contains a stone staircase that leads to the second floor.

The upper room, circular once again, includes three narrow slits, or arrow loops, strategically oriented toward key surrounding areas. There are also three windows. A second stone staircase, about two meters above the floor, leads to the rooftop terrace. A 60-centimeter-high crenelated wall protects this top level and contains a hanging well two meters deep—designed to serve as the final water reserve in case of siege.

After a careful restoration, the Angevin Tower has found a new purpose. Today, it hosts Bitonto’s Civic Gallery of Contemporary Art and the city’s Tourist Information Point, blending its historical legacy with the present cultural life.