Official website of the destination San Gimignano

Torre Rognosa

Symbol of city power, the "unsurpassable" tower and then home to those who had "rogues"

A symbol of the city power of San Gimignano's past, Torre Rognosa, also called Torre dell'Orologio or Torre del Podestà, stands in the very central Piazza del Duomo as an integral part of the thirteenth-century Palazzo Vecchio del Podestà. Owned by the Gregorio family, and later by the Oti and Mantellini families, it was built in 1200 and is thus the oldest tower in the entire city. At that time the tower played a central role as the palace of the same name was the seat of civic power and had acquired such importance that a statute had to be enacted in 1255 forbidding the construction of taller towers at the hands of private individuals. With a height of no less than 52 meters, Torre Rognosa is the second tallest tower in the entire city although the prohibition did not stop the intent of other powerful families to erect equally tall towers, which were, however, reduced in height after a short time. The choice of the name is also singular; in fact, during the 1300s, once the podestà moved to the Palazzo Nuovo del Podestà, that is, today's Palazzo Comunale, the tower was used as a prison and from this it takes the meaning of "Rognosa" since it housed all those who had "rogne," and therefore problems, with justice. The tower, with a small window looking directly onto Piazza della Cisterna, had an additional significant function in the life of San Gimignano. On the top floor, in fact, there is a roof-terrace that, in the past, functioned as a belfry to warn the inhabitants in case of danger or calamity.

City of the world, heritage of humanity. Where to breathe in the atmosphere of the Middle Ages and immerse yourself in the magnificent Tuscan countryside under the banner of a beautiful and sustainable lifestyle.
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