Torre del Gardello, Gothic tower in Piazza Erbe, Verona, Italy
Torre del Gardello is a Gothic tower standing on Piazza Erbe at the crossing of two ancient Roman roads. The structure rises about 44 meters and displays Gothic architectural features including crenellated edges, built at this historic intersection where the city's main routes meet.
The tower was completed in 1370 under the order of Cansignorio Della Scala and served as the city's bell tower. It remained the tallest building in Verona until the construction of Torre dei Lamberti.
The tower has shaped the character of this square and once housed the city's first public clock in the 15th century, which displayed San Zeno's image alongside the Scaliger coat of arms. People gathered here to check the time and mark the rhythm of their daily lives in the city center.
The tower stands on Piazza Erbe and is easy to locate when crossing through the central shopping district. The original clock mechanism is now housed in the Castelvecchio Museum if you wish to see it up close.
The clock mechanism was crafted from melted materials that Cansignorio had specially collected for this project. This made it one of the earliest mechanical timekeeping devices in Europe and a remarkable feat of medieval engineering.
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