Torre Guirlandina em Módena (Itália) 🇮🇹

🇮🇹 The Ghirlandina Tower is located next to the apse of Modena Cathedral, standing 89.32 meters tall with over 200 steps to the top, a symbol of the city of Modena. The Ghirlandina received this nickname from the city's inhabitants due to the double ring of parapets that crowns its tower, "light as garlands" (ghirlanda in Italian). Built as the cathedral's bell tower between 1160 and 1319, this tower nevertheless played an important public role from its origins: the ringing of its bells marked the daily life of the city, announced the opening of the city gates, and served as a warning to the population in situations of alarm and danger. Its imposing walls protected the so-called Sacristy of the Town Hall, where the coffers, public documents, and objects of great symbolic value were kept, such as the famous "Secchia Rapita" or Stolen Bucket from the 14th century (a replica is currently on display). Around 1160, the foundations were being excavated, and the tower was erected to a height of 11 meters. Between 1167 and 1184, after a brief pause due to the settling of the construction site, the building reached the fifth floor, crowned by four corner towers. In 1260, the sixth floor was built, incorporating the towers. In 1319, the tower was completed. The exterior of the Ghirlandina Tower is characterized by a rich variety of sculptures and a white marble cladding. Inside the Ghirlandina, on the fifth floor, visitors can admire the so-called Stanza dei Torresani, decorated with elegant medieval capitals and which once served as the residence of the tower's guardians. Along with the Cathedral and the Piazza Grande, the Ghirlandina bell tower has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.