TOWER OF THE BORGO OR OF THE CLOCK

THE HISTORY

According to local tradition, the large round tower that overlooks the palazzo della loggia and the internal borgo, dates back to 1221. An inscription on the architrave of the door of the tower, now an interior part of the wall of the church of Santa Maria, shows this date in arabic numbers. Some sources, however, date the construction of the tower in the 15th century. In a recent publication, G. Serone found a reference to the building “of the grand tower of Bagnaia (that is round)” with a date in the footnotes of 1445. The document is now illegible, but this was also reported by the historian Cesare Pinzi. The date is not really disputed because in Bagnaia, there are no other “great towers” around the castle. If there were not a date on the architrave, because of the architectural characteristics of the crenellation and the circular section, the tower would have been dated from the 15th century. Over the course of time, the tower has not had many modifications. At the base is the coat of arms of Barberini, who possessed Bagnaia from 1632 to 1645, and a sculpture of a face in the wall remembering the particular phase when the tower served as an important actor in the history of the borgo. The defensive characteristic structure, with few openings and virtually no windows, continued over time leaving the tower with the appearance it presumably had in the 15th century.  At the foot of the tower, until a few years ago, there was a small marble statue depicting the face of a local heroine, “La Pucciarella”. In memory of historical events during the invasion of the Lanzichinecchi (1527) and the defense of the borgo by the women, led by their heroic partner, “La Pucciarella”. Her face, in marble, was affixed to the bottom of the tower. The bold determination of the community was represented through the feminine personification at the entrance to the borgo, in plain view on a grand monument that could be seen by all in the town. Unfortunately, a few years ago, the face of the Pucciarella was stolen. What is seen now is only a reproduction. In the first half of the 16th century, a public mechanical clock was put on display in Bagnaia. Every hour, the original clock rings. Between 1910 and 1920, the roof of the tower was removed. The roof had conserved, until then, the medieval tiles and trusses. In postcards from the beginning of the 1900s it was still visible.

DESCRIPTION

The cylindrical tower overlooks the palazzo della loggia and the door of the borgo. At its feet is a plaque in peperino stone that recalls the facts of the story of the Pucciarella. On February 20, 1528, the small borgo of Bagnaia was beseiged by Lanzichenecchi followed by imperial troops of Carlo V. In the town, the only people who remained were the elderly, the women, and the children. The able-bodied men were enrolled in the Papal army of Guicciardini and in the volunteer army of cardinal Egidio of Viterbo. The Bagnaia women, with strong will and determination, marched upon Lanzichenecchi without fear and, reciting prayers and invoking the Madonna of Quercia, prepared to sustain an assault. At this time a peasant woman, la Pucciarella, threw a stone at the head of the German Commandant, killing him and causing the soldiers to disband.  In memory of the narrow escape, the second day after Easter in 1528, the Bagnaia citizens, went in procession to the Chiesa of the Madonna of Quercia, bringing a gift of an extravagant silver cross. Since then, this procession takes place every year on the second day after Easter. Above the plaque is a reproduction of the marble face of the Pucciarella. Above a small square window is the heraldic coat of arms in peperino stone of the Barberini family. On the 16th century clock’s white face are roman numerals in black. The top of the tower was closed by crenellation. On the tower, three bells still remain. The biggest bell was created by the company Nobilione di Napoli. The smaller bell was built by Francesco Lucentini in 1888 and the third offered by the community in honor of Santa Maria.

Translation by Lauren Williamson, Texas A&M University, enrolled in the USAC Viterbo program at the Università degli Studi della Tuscia

ESSENTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Fonti
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