Rivellino tower was built to strengthen one of the two main entrances to the territory of the old town of Famagusta, located in the northern part of Cyprus, which was surrounded by a high fortified wall. This bastion is called Land Gate, which means "Gate of the land," as opposed to the second gate of the city under the name "Sea" (Porta del Mare). In addition, it also has several other names, which varied depending on who captured the fort. Thus, it is sometimes called Rivellino and Akkulov or "White Tower".

The tower is one of the oldest parts of the fortified walls around Famagusta, as was established before the city was captured by the Venetians, who built it in most of the fortifications that have survived to the present day. Initially Rivellino was built by the French during the Lusignan dynasty, near the main gate of the city. Later, the Venetians who took Famagusta, in parallel with the completion and consolidation of the city wall, and decided to upgrade the tower, turning it into a bastion. Thanks to them, there were furnished in the tower emplacements, ammunition storage chamber, in addition, they built a bastion on rocky outcrops, significantly complicating the possible undermining of the structure. They are also surrounded by a deep moat and a wall built lift gate - the only entrance to the fortress in this part of town.

But despite all the efforts of the Venetians, the Ottomans after a year of siege still managed to capture the city without destroying the very defensive wall and bastions. Accustomed in Famagusta, the invaders renamed the tower "Akkulov", which translated means "white tower" - believed to be the color of the white flag, which hung defenders of the city, when they decided to surrender.