In Garibaldi Square, the Civic Tower stands out with its bulk. Probably built between the 1220s and 1240s (by the Da Romano family), the most likely date is 1312 when, on the occasion of the extension of the second city walls, it constituted an important defensive and protective episode for the new borough that grew outside the walls. Indeed, it was distinguished by its significant measures in height, width, and thickness of the wall body, the powerful truncated pyramid base, and the lack of decorations. It appears in documentation in 1349 when a 500-kilogram bell was placed. From that moment on, it was registered to the Municipality, which took care of maintenance and payment of the guards. The guards performed various tasks, but the main duty was to act as lookout from above to announce riots, disasters, or assault threats.
The name by which we know it, that is “Civic Tower,” was given when in 1494 a stone door was opened at its base with the city’s emblem painted above it. In 1625, the door was pierced above to give light to the custodian’s dwelling and connected to the ground by a wooden staircase whose steps were partly replaced by stone ones in 1727. On the other hand, the year when the emblem of Venice, as an honorary title, was frescoed is unknown. During the 18th century, it was equipped with a clock, and in the 19th century, with the apex rise on the summit. Certainly, the tower stands out particularly compared to all other historic city buildings for its centrality in the urban layout and for the fact that it dominates it with its height (43 meters). After a recent and important restoration, it has been reopened to the public.
Information about the Civic Tower
Garibaldi Square,
36061 Bassano del Grappa (Vicenza)
0424519901
info@museobassano.it
https://www.comune.bassano.vi.it
Source: MIBACT
