Torre dell'Orologio (Torre Civica)

Faenza’s civic Clock Tower was begun in 1604 to a design by Fra Domenico Paganelli and completed in the early seventeenth century. Destroyed by German forces in November 1944, it was rebuilt on its original site by 1953. The marble Madonna and Child by Francesco Scala, made in 1611, survived and was returned to its niche.

Why it matters

The tower stands on the site of an earlier fortified structure and remains a prominent part of Piazza del Popolo. Its rusticated base, five-storey quadrangular shaft and small dome form a civic landmark shaped by repeated rebuilding.

What to notice

The tower rises in five superimposed levels above a rusticated base and ends in a small dome. At street level, a niche with a wrought-iron and brass railing holds Scala’s marble Madonna and Child. A monumental fountain designed by Paganelli stands at the tower’s foot.

Context and history

The present tower took shape from 1604 to Paganelli’s design, replacing a structure associated with the Manfredian period. The Madonna by Francesco Scala was placed in its niche in 1611. German forces destroyed the tower in November 1944; its faithful reconstruction was completed by 1953, preserving the original position and returning the surviving sculpture to the façade.