In 1584, the Florentine architect Camillo Camilliani published a report called Descrittione delle marine di tutto il regno di Sicilia con le guardie necessarie da cavallo e da piedi che vi si tengono about the state of Sicily's coastline.

He did not believe that constructing a tower in the area was necessary, since its shallow waters and swamp acted as natural barriers preventing corsairs from landing there.

The tower was eventually built sometime between 1584 and 1596, at the expense of Don Ludovico or Luigi Enriquez-Cabrera, Count of Modica.

It was built in the same style as the towers designed by Camillani, perhaps in deference to the parliamentary decision of 9 April 1579 that was providing ten thousand scudi to repair the existing towers and build others, at the request of the Viceroy Don Marcantonio Colonna.

Three days later, these pirates disguised themselves as Christians and landed at Marina, attacking a ship docked in the harbour.