Torre del Popolo, Circular bell tower in Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Italy

The Torre del Popolo, also called Torre di San Fedele, is a bell tower rising 91 metres above Palazzolo sull'Oglio. It stands on the circular Torre Mirabella, one of the towers of the Rocca Magna castle. At its top is a 6.8-metre statue of Saint Fedele, made of plaster covered with copper deposited by galvanoplasty for Count Vittorio Turati of Milan.

The tower was built in the early 1800s on the foundation of an older structure that had been part of the town's medieval fortress. Reusing existing foundations in this way was a common building practice in the region at that time.

The bells of the Torre del Popolo ring out for local celebrations, funerals, and the passing hours, weaving themselves into daily life in the old town. Visitors walking through the center will likely hear them before they even spot the tower itself.

The tower is easy to reach on foot from the town center and there is no need for a vehicle. It is worth checking opening times before visiting, as access is not always available.

The tower's twelve bells, installed in 1946, are in A-flat (La grave) and weigh 10,197 kg in total. Ten smaller bells hang in cells outside the tower, while the heavier ones sit inside. The ringing system is double: motors for automatic ringing and ropes with a keyboard for manual playing.