White Tower, Bell tower in Brixen, Italy

The White Tower is a 72-meter Gothic bell tower in Brixen, next to the Cathedral of Saint Michael. It has about 200 stairs leading to a carillon of 43 bells, and since its 2006 restoration it has been used as a museum. The tower is a registered cultural heritage monument (number 14186) in South Tyrol.

Construction of the tower began in the 15th century; after a fire in 1444, the theologian Nicholas of Cusa commissioned its Gothic reconstruction in 1459. Its new roof colour earned it the name "Black Tower". In 1591 an octagonal brick helmet was built and the roof painted white, giving the present name and making it Brixen's tallest building.

The tower stands as a central landmark for the parish church and has shaped the city's soundscape for centuries through its ringing bells. Locals hear these bells marking the hours and celebrating religious occasions, making the structure an integral part of daily community life.

Inside, approximately 200 steps lead to different functional areas, including the clock mechanism and bell chambers on the upper floors. The climb requires some physical effort but offers visitors access to the inner workings of the structure.

Tower guards watched for fire and other dangers from a chamber about 40 metres up, reached by 26 wooden steps above the bell house; they kept this watch until 1938, not until World War II. The carillon of 43 bells, made in the Netherlands in 2007, plays daily at 11:00 and can sound over a hundred melodies.