Gallo Lungo

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Originally Gallo Lungo hosted a monastery and then a prison. During the reign Charles II of Naples (late 13th century), the Amalfi coast became subject to increasing attacks by pirates. To defer them, Charles wished to build a watchtower on top of the remains of a Roman tower on Gallo Lungo. As he lacked sufficient funds he accepted an offer from Pasquale Celentano of Positano to lend the required funds, in return for being appointed warden of the fortification. The tower (today called the Aragonese Tower) was constructed around 1312 [2] and occupied by a garrison of four soldiers. The wardenship was subsequently passed to Angelo Balbo in 1382 and in 1425 to Viviano Mirelli. Responsibility for the islands then passed to Catalian Gilberto Squanes, the Miroballo family and then to the Marino Mastrogiudice before passing to the crown and then the Marquises of Positano. Eventually with the establishment of the Republic of Italy ownership passed to the town of Positano. The town later sold the islands to a native of Salerno who sold them to Davide Pariato