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Palazzo Vecchio Clock Tower (Florence)

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description Palazzo Vecchio Clock Tower (Florence) Overview

The tower of Florence's Palazzo Vecchio, commonly called the Torre di Arnolfo, rises above the city's medieval civic palace. The palace was begun in 1299 and is traditionally attributed to Arnolfo di Cambio, while the approximately 94-meter tower incorporates an earlier structure and carries a clock. It served both symbolic and practical civic functions, including surveillance, bell ringing, timekeeping, and the confinement of prisoners.

help Palazzo Vecchio Clock Tower (Florence) FAQ

Can visitors climb the Torre di Arnolfo?

Visitors can normally enter the tower through the Palazzo Vecchio museum route, subject to weather and access restrictions. The climb involves hundreds of steps and reaches viewpoints over Florence's historic center.

Why is the Palazzo Vecchio tower off-center?

The tower rises asymmetrically from the palace because it incorporates an earlier tower associated with the Foraboschi family. This inherited structure shaped the placement of the later civic tower.

How tall is the Torre di Arnolfo?

The tower rises to roughly 94 meters above Piazza della Signoria. Its height made the palace an unmistakable symbol of the Florentine government's authority.

Was anyone imprisoned in the Palazzo Vecchio tower?

The tower contains a small cell known as the Alberghetto. Notable prisoners associated with it include Cosimo de' Medici before his exile and the Dominican preacher Girolamo Savonarola before his execution in 1498.

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