2015-06-13

Guinigi Tower Crowned With Oak Trees

The Guinigi Tower is located in Lucca, a beautiful and historic city located in Tuscany, Italy. The Guinigi Tower, which demonstrates the greatness of one of Lucca's most famous and wealthiest families, is a prominent landmark still standing in the city and one of Lucca's most representative monuments.

Torre Guinigi.

Throughout its history, up to 250 towers and many bell towers were built as monuments to the rivalry between different factions in the Middle Ages. And some of these relics arrived until today, despite their turbulent past. As the Guinigi Tower, which today has become an essential point to watch the walled city. It stands majestically at 44.25 metres with a total of 225 steps, with an unusual group of oaks on top; the trees symbolise the Renaissance. The palace of the same name, which belonged to Michele, Francesco, and Nicolao Guinigi, is located nearby.

The Tower is Romanesque and Gothic style and one of the main attractions of Lucca. The tower was built in brick and decorated with shields, cornices and slabs. The tower at the corner of Via San Andrea stands out among all the buildings of the city by the trees growing at the top. Among the mediaeval towers, belonging to private and richest families, it is the only one that has not been severed or destroyed in the sixteenth century. At the top of the tower is the original hanging garden, which consists of a container filled with earth walls, in which seven oaks were planted. There is no any historical record of when the garden was created, but an old image collection of the 14th century shows that among the many towers of Lucca were crowned trees. It is assumed, therefore, that the plant Guinigi Tower is very old even if the oaks present today were definitely replanted in time. A true distinctive symbol of the city of Lucca. Today the tower is owned by the City of Lucca. People enjoy the views and shelter shade of the oaks, admiring the jewels of Lucca from above.

First Photo credit: David Jones