Lamberti Tower

The Lamberti Tower is the civic bell tower of Verona, a symbol of the city and the most spectacular panoramic point of the historic centre. With its 84 metres of height, the tower dominates Piazza delle Erbe and the medieval urban fabric, offering from the top terrace a 360-degree view over Verona, the Adige, the Valpolicella hills and the Lessini Pre-Alps. The tower was built starting in 1172 by the Lamberti family, a powerful Veronese dynasty, as a symbol of prestige and city power.

The structure spans seven centuries of architecture: the Romanesque base in white stone and red brick from the 12th century, the central Gothic body in brick from the 14th century, and the Renaissance octagonal bell cell completed in 1463 by the architect Michele Sanmicheli. Eight historic bells still mark the hours and city events today: the famous "Marangona" rang to convene the City Council and announce fires, while "Rengo" accompanied capital executions and public mourning. The bells are still functioning and ring on solemn feast days.

The tower is accessible via a panoramic lift or through the 368 steps of the internal spiral staircase for the more athletic. From the panoramic terrace one can admire a unique spectacle: the Roman Arena, the Cathedral domes, the Scaliger towers, Castel San Pietro on the hill, the Ponte Pietra over the Adige, Piazza delle Erbe teeming with life, and the horizon of the Venetian hills. The tower is managed by the Civic Museums of Verona and can be visited daily with an integrated ticket.

The medieval building and symbol of Veronese municipal power

The Lamberti Tower was begun in 1172 by the Lamberti family, wealthy Veronese merchants and bankers who wanted to build a family tower as a symbol of power and prestige, according to the medieval tradition of noble towers. Over the centuries the tower passed to the City of Verona which transformed it into a civic bell tower, using it to signal public events, convene popular assemblies and announce emergencies such as fires and enemy invasions. Construction lasted three centuries through different phases: the 12th-century Romanesque base in white stone blocks from Valpolicella alternating with red bricks, the 14th-century Gothic central body entirely in brick, and the top octagonal bell cell completed in 1463 to a design by Michele Sanmicheli, the great military architect who also designed the Venetian fortifications of Verona.

The tower thus reached the current 84 metres, becoming the highest point of the medieval city and a symbol of municipal power.

The octagonal bell cell houses eight historic bells cast between the 16th and 19th centuries, each with a name, sound and specific function. The most famous is the "Marangona", a large bell that rang at dawn and dusk to signal the beginning and end of the working day, summoned the City Council in extraordinary sessions and alerted the population in case of fires. Its name derives from the "marangoni", the carpenters who built the wooden scaffolding.

The "Rengo" (or "Justice") bell rang during capital executions in Piazza dei Signori, accompanying the condemned to the scaffold, and announced public mourning and famines. The other minor bells marked the canonical hours for prayer, called citizens to assemblies, celebrated military victories and religious celebrations. Even today the bells ring on solemn feast days, during City Council sessions and at important moments of city life, keeping alive the centuries-old tradition of the Veronese civic bell tower.

Today the Lamberti Tower is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Verona with over 150,000 visitors a year. The tower is accessed from the Cortile del Mercato Vecchio of the Palazzo della Ragione, where the ticket office and the entrance to the panoramic lift are located, which takes you directly to the top terrace in a few seconds. The more athletic can climb the 368 steps of the internal spiral staircase, walking through seven centuries of architectural history through Romanesque stone, Gothic bricks and Renaissance structures.

From the panoramic terrace at 84 metres of height one enjoys a spectacular 360-degree view: the Arena with the perfect ellipse of the tiers, Castelvecchio with the Scaliger bridge, the Romanesque Cathedral with the bell tower, Piazza delle Erbe bustling with the market, the Scaliger Tombs with the Gothic baldachins, the Roman Ponte Pietra over the Adige, Castel San Pietro on the hill, and on the horizon the Valpolicella hills dotted with villas and vineyards. The sunset from the tower is particularly spectacular when the golden light illuminates the medieval red rooftops. Illustrative panels identify the visible monuments and tell the history of the tower.