Leper’s Tower, Aosta, Italy - SpottingHistory.com

The Leper’s Tower was built on the ruins of an ancient Roman tower and was originally known as the Friour Tower, after the family that lived there. This family, whose name was mentioned for the first time in 1191, also occupied the Ports Decumana, now abandoned.

After several changes of ownership, it was bought by the Order of Saint-Maurice in 1773 and was incorporated into a hospice of charity founded by Jean-Boniface Festaz. The current name derives from the fact that a leper named Pierre Bernard Guasco, a native of Oneglia was imprisoned there from 1773 to 1803. This story inspired Lepers of the city of Aosta, a story written by Xavier de Maistre, published in 1811.

In 1890, the tower was restored. Today it belongs to the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, which holds exhibitions at the site.

The Leper’s Tower was founded on a Roman tower whose foundations were excavated in the nineteenth century. A medieval tower was built on the site in the 15th century.

References:

Wikipedia

Castles and fortifications in Italy

User Reviews

Freddy Rovelli (12 months ago)
Ancient Roman bastion, the Leper Tower was transformed into a feudal residence by the noble Friour, of whom we have news since 1191. During the 1400s, the climbing tower was built on the north side to allow easier access to the floors and the stone windows on the south side were opened. After some changes of ownership it was purchased in 1773 by the Mauritian Order which hosted the leper Pietro Bernardo Guasco, a native of the city of Oneglia, whose stay in the Tower was made famous by the pages of the novel "Le lépreux de la cité d'Aoste" , written in 1811 by the Savoyard nobleman Xavier de Maistre.

Fabrizio Fragano (12 months ago)
There is a valid explanation as to what it was

Mario Dotta (14 months ago)
My favorite tower in Aosta. Since I was a child.

AIG (19 months ago)
Cool

jurry zaidi (3 years ago)
Good for people who love archaeology

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