Civic Tower of Luzzara
Timetable
External viewing only.
The tallest landmark of the Bassa Reggiana
The Municipal Tower of Luzzara (Torre Comunale) is the undisputed symbol of the town and one of its most evocative viewpoints.
Standing 55 meters tall, it is the highest tower in the province of Reggio Emilia, dominating the settlement and offering, on clear days, a panorama stretching from the surrounding plains all the way to the cities of Mantua and Reggio Emilia.
At its summit stands a cross crowned with a pike (luccio), a historic emblem also featured on the municipal coat of arms.
The structure comprises 11 above-ground stories, including the balcony above the dome, and a subterranean level 2.30 meters deep that was originally above ground: the tower was initially erected at the bottom of the castle moats, which were filled in during the early 20th century to create present-day Piazza della Torre.
The solid nature of the structure is evident in the thickness of its masonry: 1.70 meters at the base, tapering progressively to approximately 60 cm at the top.
Inside, iron staircases with 147 steps lead up to the belfry level, while additional ladder rungs reach the absolute top (which is off-limits to the public).
The tower can only be visited up to the belfry level and opens rarely for special occasions.
The bell peal consists of four bronze bells: the large Campanòn (D low), the hour bell (F sharp), the half-hour bell (A), and the smallest bell (D high), the latter now rings after noon, though it historically summoned children to school.
A long and complex construction
The tower was erected in the 18th century following the destruction of the fortress (rocca) and its ancient tower during the Battle of Luzzara in 1702, when French troops blew up part of the castle before retreating.
After years of conflict and neglect, the local community felt the urgent need to rebuild a symbol of their shared identity.
By a decree of 1716, Duke Ferdinando authorized the townspeople to collect funds and materials to construct a new tower for the town's bells.
Official construction began in 1724, though work was repeatedly interrupted due to lack of funds.
The structure was finally completed in 1780: on September 15th, the cross with the pike was installed, followed by the lead covering of the small dome (cupolino) and the installation of the railing.
Upon completion, two clocks were installed along the town's primary axis, adopting the "French style" hour-counting system (ore alla francese) for the first time in Luzzara, a system still in use today.
Restorations and uses over time
Over the centuries, the tower underwent numerous interventions: recastings of the bells, repairs following lightning strikes and earthquakes, replacements of the clock faces, and structural reinforcements.
In the 20th century, its height was even leveraged to serve as a water tower (torre piezometrica) for the municipal aqueduct.
The last major structural interventions date back to 1994 and 2002, when the iron staircases were installed, a general cleaning was executed, and reinforcement works were carried out following the 1996 earthquake.
Contacts
Piazza Ferrari, 3 - 42045 Luzzara (RE)
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