Tower of Teodolinda, Medieval tower at Via Lambro, Monza, Italy.
The Tower of Teodolinda stands three stories tall with a square footprint on Via Lambro, featuring a barrel vault at ground level and paired windows on the upper floors that frame the structure. The tower's base opens as a passage while its upper sections function as residential space.
The structure was built in the 13th century as part of Monza's defensive network and later became known as Porta Lambro due to its role in regulating goods entering from the river. It functioned as a control point for commerce flowing into the city.
The facade displays medieval Monza coat-of-arms medallions on the third floor and a distinctive crenellated crown with decorative corbels that reflect the authority of the families who controlled this passage. These features speak to the importance of managing river commerce entering the city.
The tower is visible from the street and easy to locate as it sits at the intersection of modern and historic parts of town. Its position allows for a convenient visit while walking through the city center.
Despite bearing the name of Queen Teodolinda, the tower actually belonged to the Pessina family who collected tariffs on goods entering the city at this gate. The family used their strategic location to control and tax all commerce flowing into Monza.
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