The large bell tower, symbol of the city, was built in 1322 at the behest of Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli who obtained civic sovereignty after years of continuous internal struggles; the tower was the central part of a real fortress, called “Cacciaguerra”, erected in the heart of the city to divide the Guelph and Ghibelline factions in constant conflict with each other who inhabited the districts of Sommoborgo and Imoborgo respectively. Its construction was in accordance with the civic statutes which already provided for the possibility of erecting internal curtains for the entire depth of the village, from the Magra river to the Verde stream. The curtain constituted a real barrier between the current Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Repubblica. The following inscription was placed on the work: “Anno 1322 die 26 Aprilis. Hoc opus factum fuit tempore Magnifici Castruccii de Antelminelis Lucani, et Partis Imperialis Pontremuli domini Generalis, existente survivor dicti operis Vannetendi de Sancto Miniato, dicti Domini Siniscalco, fundatum fuit hac 26 mensis Aprilis, Iusso Domini Cazzaguerra vocatum. Amen”.

As Bernardino Campi also recalls, the central tower was originally equipped with a bell, so as to warn citizens of possible dangers: “a castle with three towers, one towards the Verde river, the other towards the Magra river , and the third, highest, in the middle; above which he placed a bell, which served as a sign in every case that occurred ”. Only in 1578 was it transformed into a civic tower, being raised and creating a real belfry. The “Campanone” was finished in its structure in 1611 with the cover of lead plates of the cupola above the belfry.

Today there are no visible elements that refer directly to that large defensive structure which hypothetically extended for 85 meters connecting the three towers since in the second half of the sixteenth century the fortification, ceasing to fulfill the purpose for which it was built, becomes the solid support for the construction of houses used as homes and shops around the two squares. The elements of the original structure have reappeared only thanks to some renovations of some private homes. Of the other defensive elements of the curtain wall, however, it is possible to recognize only two sides of the tower facing the Verde stream in the basement of the Bishopric and in the structure of the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta the traces of the structure of the tower overlooking the Magra river.

The towers certainly had a robust structure resulting from good construction techniques; each level, equipped with loopholes in the lower part and larger openings going up, was practicable thanks to attics resting on barrel vaults with lowered arches. On the top of the central tower there was an overhang that increased the walking surface useful for the guardhouses; finally, the entire fortification was made up of battlements typical of all medieval military constructions.

photos: arch. Elia Santini