Torre di Pulcinella

The Torre di Pulcinella is Montepulciano's clock tower associated with the masked figure above Piazza Michelozzo. The automaton gives public timekeeping a theatrical character within the historic town.

Why it matters

The familiar Neapolitan mask adds an unexpected image to a Tuscan civic landmark. Stories explaining its presence have become part of the tower's identity, alongside its practical association with the striking clock.

What to notice

The figure is made of wood covered with sheet metal and holds the hammer used to strike the bell. Its silhouette and costume make the clock a small sculptural performance rather than a dial alone. The surrounding historic buildings provide a different architectural scale for the figure.

Context and history

Local traditions connect Pulcinella's presence with a cleric or benefactor from Campania. Another interpretation relates the figure to the Tuscan tradition of bell-striking automatons known as Mangia. These accounts remain traditions and interpretations, rather than a securely established story of the original commission. The tower preserves the combination of mechanical timekeeping and popular imagery that gave rise to them.