Torre delle Ore in Lucca

Tower in Lucca

Lucca, Torre Delle Ore — CC BY-SA 4.0 / Gianni Careddu

The Torre delle Ore in Lucca stands tall at 50 meters, making it the tallest among the 130 towers built in the city since Medieval times. Located centrally on via Fillungo, at the corner with via dell’Arancio, it remains one of the only two surviving towers, the other being Torre Guinigi.

Visitors can explore the tower by ascending the original wooden staircase of 207 steps, where they can admire the clock mechanism. Upon reaching the arched loggia at the top, a magnificent view of Lucca’s rooftops, bell-towers, and the picturesque landscapes of Piana di Lucca can be enjoyed.

This Tower, dating back to the 13th century, was once owned by prominent families of Lucca, including Quartigiani, Diversi, Cristofani, Sesmondi, and Ceci. In 1390, the General Council of Lucca commissioned the clock’s creation from Labruccio Cerlotti, a renowned goldsmith of the time. By 1490, an external dial was added, enabling both visual and auditory timekeeping with the chimes. Later, in the 18th century, Louis Simon from Geneva, with assistance from Sigismondo Caturegli from Lucca, designed a new clock mechanism. Concurrently, Stefano Filippi’s work brought the installation of three new bells. The iron weathervane on top bears the inscription “Libertas,” and the year 1754 on the roof commemorates this event.

Torre delle Ore is entwined with the legend of Lucida Mansi. According to the tale, this noblewoman from Lucca made a pact with the Devil, exchanging her soul for beauty and youth. After the agreed thirty years had passed, the Devil returned to claim her soul. On the night of August 14, 1623, her final “diabolic” youth, Lucida rushed up the tower’s over 200 steps in an attempt to stop the bell from striking the hour of her death. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it in time and, as the legend goes, she threw herself into the lake of the Botanical Garden. It is said that she emerges from the lake on full moon nights to this day.

The Torre delle Ore in Lucca appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Lucca!

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