Torre di guardia del ricetto medievale

The Torre Civica of Manta began as a watchtower in the walls of the medieval ricetto, the fortified refuge of the village. In the late nineteenth century it was converted into a bell tower with a large clock. It is also known as the Campanile dei rovi.

Why it matters

The tower preserves a visible part of the medieval ricetto while reflecting the later civic use of its defensive structures. Its changing function links the fortified village with the townscape that developed after the ricetto lost its defensive role.

What to notice

The rough-brick lower structure and the later belfry stage mark the tower’s different phases. Its large clock and bell installation belong to the nineteenth-century conversion. The tower appears in an image of Manta published in the 1682 Theatrum Sabaudiae.

Context and history

The tower formed part of the wall circuit of Manta’s ricetto, a communal refuge associated with the counts of Saluzzo. It was later converted into the town’s bell and clock tower. The municipal heritage pages also record the name Campanile dei rovi, alongside Torre Civica.