Torre del Mangia Travel Guide

Rising 87 meters (102 meters including the lightning rod), the Torre del Mangia is the third tallest ancient tower in Italy and a defining symbol of Siena. Constructed between 1338 and 1348, the tower was designed to be the same height as the Siena Cathedral, signifying the equal power of the church and the state. The architectural design is attributed to Muccio and Francesco Di Rinaldo, brothers from Perugia, while the summit, containing the bell, was designed by another architect, possibly Lippo Memmi.The tower's name comes from its first bell ringer, Giovanni di Balduccio, nicknamed 'Mangiaguadagni' ('profit eater') because of his tendency to overspend his earnings. Although his tenure was short-lived, as a mechanical clock replaced manual ringing in 1360, the nickname 'Mangia' stuck with the tower. In 1666, the large bell, called Campanone or Sunto, was installed, dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption.At the base of the tower, where it meets the Piazza del Campo, is the Cappella di Piazza, a loggia built in 1352 as a vow by Sienese survivors of the Black Death. The sculptures adorning the columns were created by Mariano d'Angelo Romanelli and Bartolomeo di Tommé between 1378 and 1382, with a marble vault replacing the original wooden ceiling in the mid-15th century.Climbing the Torre del Mangia offers visitors extraordinary views of Siena and the surrounding Tuscan landscape. The narrow stairways and irregular heights of the 400 steps can be challenging, but the panoramic vistas from the top are well worth the effort.