Torre Civica - Trento, Italy
Posted by: Becktracker
N 46° 04.055 E 011° 07.316
32T E 664105 N 5103745
The Torre Civica use to be a watchtower of the Medieval defences and was later converted to a bell tower
Waymark Code: WM13PDK
Location: Trentino–Alto Adige, Italy
Date Posted: 01/23/2021
Views: 2
"The Torre Civica was built starting from the second half of the 12th century on the remains of the Porta Veronensis, the main entrance into the walls of the ancient Tridentum: following the raids of the Alemanni the door was damaged and from the 4th century, with the construction of a second wall, it lost its main entrance role; during the early Middle Ages the gate became a cemetery attached to the early Christian basilica, and the surrounding area was used until the 11th century, now as a funerary area, now as a place for shops and a market square.
In the second half of the 12th century a first tower owned by the bishop was built. It was the residence of the Prince Bishop of Trento until the second half of the 13th century, during which time it was raised and a new city wall was erected. During the fourteenth century it reached its current height with a further rise of 15 meters.
At the beginning of the 15th century it was entrusted to the Municipality of the city of Trento. At the top of the tower there are two bells which were flanked in 1448 by a mechanical clock. The bishop was responsible for the custody of the tower and the prisons used inside it. The clock was renewed in 1582, on the initiative of Innocenzo in Prato.
The Renga bell dates back to 1789, so called because it called to the arengo, that is, to public assemblies and death sentences.
A first restoration was carried out between 1953 and 1963 with stylistic criteria, ie eliminating the additions made between the 17th and 18th centuries. A second restoration was completed in 2011.
On the morning of 4 August 2015, the tower was hit by a fire, caused by a short circuit, which damaged part of the wooden interior. Due to the destruction of the beams that supported it, the bell fell for a few meters, and was recovered a few days later by the fire brigade. Now compromised, its historical-artistic value has been recognized and has not been recast." (https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Civica_(Trento))
Address of Tower: Piazza del Duomo Trento, Trentino Italy
Still Operational: yes
Number of bells in tower?: 1
Relevant website?: [Web Link]
Rate tower:
Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Unknown
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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.