The Bell Tower of Palazzo Senatorio

Map

Torre della Patrina

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The bell tower (35 m) of the Palazzo Senatorio, one of the most prominent landmarks on Rome's skyline, was designed by the architect Martino Longhi the Elder (1534-91) and completed in 1582.

​Crowned with a statue of the goddess Minerva-Roma, and sporting the coat of arms of Pope Gregory XIII (r. 1572-85), Longhi's structure replaced a medieval campanile that had been destroyed by lightning. 

The bell tower, which is known as the Torre della Patrina, once housed an ancient bell, known as the patrina, which was stolen from the city of Viterbo, and installed in 1200. The patarina was rung to summon the people to a parlamento. At the beginning of the 19th century, the patarina was replaced by two bells, which are normally only rung on the election of a new mayor and on Rome's birthday (April 21st). 

Palazzo Senatorio is the seat of the city council and houses the office of the mayor. 

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Statue of Minerva-Roma atop the bell tower of the Palazzo Senatorio

Coat of arms of Pope Gregory XIII

Palazzo Senatorio