Torre del Mangia – Siena, Italy
Trips to Tuscany typically involve ingesting copious amounts of pasta, cheese, and wine…so mixing in a little exercise probably doesn’t hurt. Standing 334 feet above Siena’s Piazza del Campo, the Torre del Mangia is the medieval version of a skyscraper, and since it was built in the early 14th century, you can be sure there’s no elevator. If you’re willing to break a sweat and climb the 400+ stairs, the views from the bell tower are some of the best in Tuscany.
Quick History
The Torre del Mangia was built between 1338-1348 and was constructed to be the same height as the Siena Cathedral (Duomo di Siena), indicating the balance of power between church and state. Torre del Mangia translates roughly to “the tower of the eater”…which is a bizarre name. The tower gets its name for its first bellringer, a guy named Giovanni di Balduccio. Giovanni somehow managed to earn himself the nickname Mangiaguadagni (“eater of earnings”), either because he was a spendthrift, a glutton, or both. On one hand, you have to tip your hat to the elite of Siena who decided to name one of the city’s most prominent architectural features after the bellringer…very progressive move. On the other hand, they couldn’t have just named it, say, “Torre di Balduccio”, or “Torre de Giovanni”? They had to put the poor guy’s personal issues out on display? I can just see the medieval naming committee sitting around a long ornate table laughing, “Ok ok, we’ll name it after Gio, but people should be aware that he’s overweight and his personal finances are a MESS!”
The Climb
Tickets to the tower cost 10 Euro (children under 11 are free) and can be purchased at the ticket office at the base of the tower. The first few flights of stairs climb through an extremely short and narrow stairway that is really only wide enough for one person to comfortably pass through at a time. Not great if you’re claustrophobic. This tight section only lasts for a minute or two before reaching a landing where you go through a quick security checkpoint. If you have a bag with you, you’ll need to keep it in a locker. From that point on, the stairs are a bit wider (still pretty tight) and spiral all the way to the top of the bell tower. There are 400+ steps, so you might need to stop to catch your breath every now and then. Luckily there are several narrow windows along the way, so you can trick your friends and family into thinking you’re actually in good shape and you’re really just stopping to check out the view.
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The Views
Those who are willing to take on the climb are rewarded with 360-degree views of Siena and the surrounding countryside. You can look directly down onto the Piazza del Campo, and west towards the famous Duomo di Siena. The city is relatively small, so the roofs of medieval buildings quickly dissolve into the rolling Tuscan hills in the distance.
Even if you only have one day to spend in Siena, a climb to the top of the Torre del Mangia should definitely be on your to-do list. It really doesn’t take that long, and the views are well worth the effort. You can treat yourself to a gelato when you get back to the bottom.