Torre delle Ore, Clock tower in central Lucca, Italy

The Torre delle Ore is a clock tower on Via Fillungo in central Lucca. It is built of grey stone blocks with brick sections and rises about 50 metres. Below the open arched belfry, a wide band of brickwork frames a round clock face with a white dial, black Roman numerals and dark hands. Two tall, narrow arched windows sit farther down the facade.

The tower dates to the 13th century and belonged to Lucchese families including the Quartigiani, Diversi, Cristofani, Sesmondi and Ceci. In 1390 the General Council of Lucca rented it for a clock and entrusted the mechanism to goldsmith Labruccio Cerlotti; an external dial followed in 1490. The present clock, with a single star-shaped hand, was regulated by a 1754 mechanism by Geneva's Louis Simon with Lucchese Sigismondo Caturegli.

The tower sits on Via Fillungo and has always been a gathering point for people in the city. The bells and the weathervane bearing the word Libertas speak to the independence that mattered deeply to Lucca.

Visitors climb 207 steps to the top and can see the original clock mechanism and views across the city. The interior is narrow in places, so wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for a steady staircase.

The three bells were cast by Stefano Filippi and represent the city's strong bell-casting tradition. These bells still ring at set times and remain an important part of Lucca's soundscape today.