Torre dei Lamberti

The Lamberti Tower rises beside the Palazzo della Ragione between Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori. Begun in 1172 and raised to 84 metres in the fifteenth century, it combines Romanesque brick and tuff with a white-marble-and-brick belfry and four historic bells.

Why it matters

The tower was built by the Lamberti family above the site of Verona’s ancient Roman forum. Its civic role became closely tied to the bells installed in 1295: the Marangona marked the end of the working day and sounded fire alarms, while the Rengo summoned the city council and called people to arms. The tower became known as the Torre delle Campane, or Bell Tower. Together with the adjacent communal palace, it represents the political and civic life once centred around Verona’s principal squares.

What to notice

The lower courses alternate tuff and brick, while the fifteenth-century elevation is predominantly brick. The octagonal belfry, added between 1448 and 1464 after lightning struck the tower in 1403, combines brick with white marble. Four bells hang above: the older Rengo and Marangona, joined by the Bell of the Hours and the Rabbiosa in the late eighteenth century. A large clock was installed in 1795, replacing the stopped clock of the nearby Torre Gardello. The tower stands at the meeting point of Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori, within Verona’s historic centre.

Context and history

The Lamberti family began construction in 1172, raising an original tower of about 37 metres. In 1295 the Rengo and Marangona were installed, and the building became known for their civic sound. After the lightning strike of 1403, restoration and a new upper stage began in 1448 and were completed sixteen years later, bringing the tower to its present height and adding the octagonal belfry. Two smaller bells arrived at the end of the eighteenth century. The surrounding City of Verona was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2000, with Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori and the Palazzo del Comune forming part of its historic core.