The civic tower

Opening times:

All year round:

Sunday 10 am - 6.00 pm

July - August:

Thursday 10 am - 6.00 pm

Sunday 10 am - 6.00 pm

Tickets:

Full price: 3 €

Reduced: 2 €

(children under the age of 14 years and over 65, visitors with the ticket of the monumental complex of the Ugo Da Como Foundation)

The Lonato Civic Tower, also known as “Torre Maestra”, is in the centre of the ancient town of Lonato called Cittadella, dominated by the magnificent fortress (12^th -15^th century).

This tower was built in order to host the bells that mark the moments of the civil life of the town, and so differs from the bell tower which was entrusted with a similar function, but linked to the religious life of the Community.

The tower then represented the municipal institution and at the same time was used for surveillance needs.

The construction of this impressive building goes back to the year 1555, even if the documents report controversial data.

In a first period, from 1555 to about 1583, the construction works concerned the part of the structure that goes from the base (characterized by a mighty scarp wall) until the part above the frame clock, made of carved marble and dated 1582.

Instead the upper part, over the clock, was completed between 1583 and 1589 or so, and improved until the end of the century, when the ground floor was used as a prison.

In 1589 the Municipality of Lonato elected three persons to supervise the works and, in order to complete them quickly, imposed a taxation to the citizenry and the alienation of some municipal property.

Once built the belfry, located above the fifteenth century string-course and that has four mullioned windows on each of its sides, it was provided to buy the bells and install the clock in the box marble dated 1582 (the clock mechanism probably dated back to 1589, but it was replaced in the 18^th century).

Finally, it was made the roofing of the belfry: the top of the building was equipped with a polygonal small dome in metal (lead or copper), presumably with eight or twelve sides.

This small dome was repeatedly renovated in order to cope with the continuing deterioration of the metal coating.

Already at the beginning of the 17^th century the City Council approved to replace the cover.

The tower remained over the years in the original appearance of the 16^th century, until in 1880 the dome was finally eliminated after the creation of the crenellation designed by the architect Antonio Tagliaferri (1835-1909).

At the Infopoint is possible to rent free audio-guide with descriptions about the most important monuments of Lonato del Garda, with deposit of an identity card or passport or driving licence.