Torre delle Ore

Try to guess what Torre delle Ore means in Italian- does it mean the Tower of Gold or the Clock Tower? Well done if you chose the second option! In 1390, the Republic of Lucca purchased the tower to install a public clock, allowing all residents to organise their daily lives to the sound of the bells. Over the centuries the tower was modernised, notably with the installation of a new mechanism in the 18th century which is still operating today, making it one of the oldest clockwork systems still in operation in Italy. It is possible to observe this impressive mechanism in motion at the cost of climbing 207 steps, but it is well worth the effort, as a 360 degree panoramic view awaits, opening onto the red rooftops of Lucca, the Renaissance ramparts, Torre Guinigi and the distant Apuan Alps. But be attentive to every corner because, like any good medieval Italian tower, Torre delle Ore has its own dark legend: it is said that Lucida Mansi, a 17th century noblewoman renowned for her great beauty, was obsessed with the idea of ageing and made a pact with the Devil, who in exchange for her soul would grant her thirty additional years of youth and beauty. But when the time came, on the night of August 14, Lucida had a desperate idea, if the clock did not strike midnight perhaps she could escape her fate, and she rushed to the top of the tower to try to stop the mechanism before the fateful twelve strokes; it was too late, the bells rang out nonetheless and the Devil appeared to claim what he was owed. According to legend, he carried her away in a flaming carriage through the streets of Lucca before vanishing into the infernal abyss, and since then some claim that at midnight her screams of terror can still be heard near the tower. So, will you dare to climb?