San Gottardo Bell Tower, Milan, Italy
Posted by: 
vraatja
N 45° 27.768 E 009° 11.520
32T E 515010 N 5034381
One of the highest building in Milan, octagonal bell tower where the first example of public clock (before sun-dials) was used.
Waymark Code: WMA8G4
Location: Lombardia, Italy
Date Posted: 12/02/2010
Views: 25
San Gottardo in Corte or San Gottardo a Palazzo is a church in Milan, northern Italy. It was built as Ducal Chapel by Azzone Visconti in 1330, and finished in 1336, as indicated by an inscription on the walls. It was originally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin but Azzone, who suffered from gout, later changed the dedication to St. Gotthard of Hildesheim, patron of gout sufferers. The design was by Francesco Pecorari from Cremona. The octagonal bell tower has the first example of public clock (before, sun-dials were used).
During the great wave of tower clock building in 14th century Europe, around the time of the invention of the mechanical clock itself, striking clocks were built that struck the bell multiple times, to count out the hours. The clock of the Beata Vergine (later San Gottardo) in Milan, built around 1330, was one of the earliest recorded that struck the hours.
In 1335, Galvano Fiamma wrote:
“There is there a wonderful clock, because there is a very large clapper which strikes a bell 24 times according to the 24 hours of the day and night, and thus at the first hour of the night gives one sound, at the second two strokes, and so distinguishes one hour from another, which is of greatest use to men of every degree."
Address of Tower:
Chiesa di San Gottardo in Corte
Via Palazzo Reale
Milan, Italy
Still Operational: yes
Relevant website?: [Web Link]
Rate tower: 
Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Unknown
Number of bells in tower?: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please post an original picture of the tower taken while you were there. Please also record how you came to be at this tower and any other interesting information you learned about it while there.