The Torre delle Ore is the tallest tower in Lucca. The monument dates back to the end of the 14th century. After climbing 200 wooden steps, one is rewarded with a beautiful view. The clock is still wound manually.
Torre delle Ore Lucca
Useful information
Address: Via Arancio – Lucca. Telephone: +39 0583 583086. Opening times: 21 March to 31 May and 21 to 30 September from 10.30 to 18.30; 1 June to 20 September from 10.30 to 19.30; 1 October to 2 November from 10.30 to 16.00. Closed: 3 December to 20 March. Entrance fee: 4 Euro; Children 6-14, students with ID, 65+: 3 Euro. Children 1-5, disabled: Free of charge. Combination ticket Torre delle Ore, Torre Guinigi, Botanical Garden: 9 Euro. Combi-ticket with discount: 6 Euro. The combi-ticket is valid for two days. If you only visit two out of these three, the ticket costs 6 Euro (with discount 4 Euro) and is valid for one day only.
History and description
The Torre delle Ore was built in 1390, when the Consiglio Generale of Lucca decided to build a clock and place it in the Torre dei Quaritigano in Via Filalungo.
A century later, this tower was bought by the city and renamed Torre Civica. The clock then also received hands. Till this point, if somebody wanted to know the exact time, they needed to count the beats.
In 1572 the municipal tax office of Lucca commissioned the Swiss Simon Louis to make a new mechanism for the clock. Two years later it was ready.
What to see
The Torre delle Ore can be climbed via a 207-step wooden staircase. In addition to the view, one can then see the manually operated mechanism of the clock itself.