Torre dei Conti

Rome, Italy

The Torre dei Conti was one of the most impressive towers that dominated medieval Rome. It was built in 1238 by Richard Conti, brother of Pope Innocent III as a fortified residence for his family, the Conti di Segni. The tower stood on the border of the territory of the rival family of the Frangipani. Currently standing at 29 metres, it was once 50–60 m tall, and gained the nickname of Torre Maggiore (Major Tower) for its size. Originally covered in travertine salvaged from the ruins of the Imperial Fora, this covering was in turn stripped for use in the construction of the Porta Pia in the 16th century, designed by Michelangelo.

The upper floors were destroyed by a series of earthquakes culminating in the earthquake of 1348, after which it was abandoned until 1620, when it was rebuilt by the Papal Chamber. Other earthquakes in 1630 and 1644 caused damage which was repaired at the end of the 17th century by Pope Alexander VIII, who added two buttresses.

With the opening of the Via Cavour in the 19th century and the Via dei Fori Imperiali in the early 20th century, the tower was left isolated from other buildings. In 1937, the tower was donated by Benito Mussolini to the Arditi (Italian stormtroopers), which retained ownership until 1943. The tower contains the mausoleum of General Alessandro Parisi, whose remains are preserved in an ancient Roman sarcophagus. Parisi, who died in an automobile accident in 1938, was the leader of the Arditi.

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Address

Via Tor de' Conti 37, Rome, Italy
See all sites in Rome

Details

Founded: 1238
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

3.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Colosseum (0,5 km)
Sistine Chapel (3 km)
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Altare della Patria (0,4 km)
St. Peter's Square (2,7 km)
Pantheon (1,1 km)
Vatican Historical Museum (3,1 km)


Villa d'Este (26,6 km)

User Reviews

Wilfried M (2 years ago)
Soweit ich mich erinnern kann, befand sich der Torre im Okt 2018 hinter einem hohen Bretterzaun. Ich vermute hier wird an der neuen U-Bahn gebaut.
Add Name (2 years ago)
Always great to walk there
iervo persia (2 years ago)
Diciamo che il posto la location la bellezza della struttura sarebbe da 5 Stelle purtroppo ancora una volta della capitale dobbiamo accontentarci di immaginare come potrebbe essere stata immaginare lo stato iniziale. In totale stato di abbandono la torre non è affatto curata ed è lasciata a marcire in nel pieno centro di Roma. Non so esattamente di chi sia la colpa sempre con me 190 e Ministero comunque qualche ente governativo Ma posso immaginare che i soldi per sistemarla siano stati sicuramente nei 2000 anni passati stanziati e finiti in qualche altra tasca all'italiana maniera
Vladimir Di Bartolomeo (3 years ago)
Amazing
Francesco Campanini (4 years ago)
La torre è molto bella, ma è in stato di abbandono. Ha le finestre aperte, così quando piove entra l'acqua...peccato! Speriamo che risolvano la situazione.
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