The Third Tower (or Montale), like Cesta, dates back to the 13th century and, like the other two, is the familiar pentagon shape. Also, like the others, it was used as, surprise, surprise, a prison! Unlike the other prisons, though, this one has serious porridge going on - it's 8m (26ft) deep and is called 'the tower bottom'. Talk about rock bottom: you don't get much lower in life than the bottom of a deep dungeon in a tower fortress carved out of a rock face.
Re-enforcing the disciplinary feel of the place, Montale looks out on a series of antique rocks placed together to form a primitive wall system that runs from Cesta to the old quarry. The quarry is the remains of the second town wall constructed in the 13th century. In fact the erstwhile citizens of San Marino built no less than three stone walls, all in different centuries, as protection. Over the years paranoia gave way to pragmatism and much of the stone walls was demolished to make way for city expansions.
