Guinigi Tower

Guinigi is a medieval tower located in the city of Lucca. A monument of Romano-Gothic architecture, which has survived to this day in a unique form. Here you can meet crowds of tourists who strive to get to the upper observation deck in order to take the best photos of the buildings and landscapes of the city.

History of occurrence

The history of this building is connected with the influential family of Guinigi, who ruled all over Lucca. The Guinigi bought out most of the city's land and began to build up these lands with a building complex. At the beginning of the 14th century, the Guinigi decided to decorate their quarter by building a tower on its territory. At first, there was a guard of honor in the tower, which guarded the "honor and peace of the Guinigi family", a little later the tower was used as an outpost of the city. At the end of the 14th century, the last representative of the Guinigi family decided to donate the tower to the city of Lucca. In honor of this event, a big celebration was held in the city, and the Guinigi family further strengthened its authority and position in this area of Italy.

Architectural features of the structure

Unfortunately, it is not known for certain who was the author and chief architect of this project. The height of the Guinigi tower reaches 50 meters. The visitor entering the tower is greeted by twenty-five flights of stairs and 230 steps that zigzag up. The upper part of the tower is decorated with a crown, which is separated by gilded paint. At the top there is a platform from which a magnificent view of the whole city opens. Surprise is caused by boxes built into the site, in which there is earth with seeds of holm oaks growing in it.

The tower is built of brick, its rectangular structure is visually lightened by four-part windows. The Guinigi Tower is decorated with various coats of arms, tablets, flags with family coats of arms. The tower itself was restored and opened to tourists in the late 1980s. Nowadays, the tower still belongs to the city - the city council, officially being a landmark of the city. Today, the city of Lucca often hosts festivals and carnivals, as well as city processions. The tower is actively used as an observation deck, as well as the central place for the start of city performances.

The city of Lucca has long been famous for its magnificent history and chic cultural monuments. The city has preserved in its original form many buildings of the Renaissance, which are the symbols of this city. A must visit is the Guinigi Tower, as it is a historical and iconic place in the city. Many residents of the city consider it the main monument of the entire region.