Cumbo Tower
Residence in Mosta, Malta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cumbo Tower (Maltese: Torri Cumbo) is a historic residential building located in Mosta, Malta. Its site is traditionally associated with the legend of the bride of Mosta (Maltese: l-għarusa tal-Mosta), which is possibly based on a 1526 raid. The present building was constructed in around the 19th century.
| Cumbo Tower | |
|---|---|
Torri Cumbo | |
Northeast façade as photographed in 2016 | |
 Interactive map of the Cumbo Tower area | |
| General information | |
| Status | Intact |
| Type | Residence |
| Location | Mosta, Malta |
| Coordinates | 35°54′07.6″N 14°25′25.5″E |
| Completed | c. 19th century |
| Owner | Baron Lino Testaferrata Bonici and Baroness Maria Testaferrata Bonici (née Testaferrata Moroni Viani) |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Limestone |
History and folklore
An early Christian family tomb dating back to the Roman or Byzantine era is located on the grounds of the Cumbo Tower.[1]
The property was built by and is named after the Cumbo family,[2] a prominent family in late medieval and early modern Malta which included a number of judges.[3] The property is believed to have belonged to Giulio Cumbo,[2] a lawyer who was a jurat in the Università of Mdina in 1525.[4] According to tradition, Cumbo's daughter was abducted from the tower by Barbary pirates shortly before or during her wedding.[5] The bride's story became a folk tale and the subject of a ballad, and although there is no solid evidence of her abduction,[6] there are records that a raid on Mosta occurred in 1526 during which some 400 people were captured and enslaved.[7]
The present building was constructed in around the 19th century.[2] The building served as an officers' mess during World War II.[8]
Nowadays, the tower hosts a reservoir belonging to Malta's Water Services Corporation which receives water from Chadwick Lakes through an underground channel.[9]
The tower was scheduled as a grade 2 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in 2012.[7][10]
Architecture
The building has three floors,[2] and it forms part of a large plot of land including a garden. A niche is located along the main façade, and the property also includes another arched entrance which leads to the gardens.[7] The grounds include servants' quarters and a coach house.[2]
In popular culture
- The tower is visible in the 2016 film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.
