Torre del Moro

Why it matters

The Torre del Moro stands near the historic centre of Orvieto, at the meeting of the city's four quarters. Built in the thirteenth century, it became a symbol of communal authority. The tower was first known as Torre del Papa and later took its present name from Raffaele di Sante, called il Moro, whose family owned the adjoining palace.

What to notice

The tower's clock and bells connect it to the city's civic history. After restoration in 1866, a mechanical clock and two bells were installed; one came from the campanile of Sant'Andrea and the other from Palazzo del Popolo. A plaque near Via della Costituente bears lines from Dante's Purgatorio naming the feuding Orvieto families Montecchi, Cappelletti, Monaldi and Filippeschi.

Context and history

The tower was built in the 1200s as a symbol of the free commune. Its location at the intersection of major streets marks the historic division of the city into four quarters. A folk explanation for its name says that a Moorish figure was hung on the tower during the old giostra games; this remains a local tradition rather than a documented account.