Torre Viscontea

Lecco (LC)

AM Lombardy and Aosta Valley

The Torre Viscontea is the last visible trace of the mighty medieval fortress that once surrounded the town of Lecco. Set among the elegant palazzi in the central square, it was erected in the 14th century by the Visconti family as a strategic watchtower. Today this evocative historical space is reborn as a venue for temporary exhibitions.

La Visconti Tower is the only fragment that survived the late 18th century demolitions that wiped out Lecco's ancient fortifications. Since the time of Azzone Visconti, the village was protected by a triangular-shaped wall; in the 17th century, the castle proper - which extended over 1,200 square metres - hosted the Spanish garrison made famous by Alessandro Manzoni in The Betrothed.

The turning point came in 1782 when, under the Emperor's reforms Joseph II, the military stronghold was dismantled and sold to private individuals to encourage urban development. Today, only the 14th-century tower remains of that majestic complex. Inside, the ground floor still houses the guardhouse and ancient stone cannonballs, while the foreground was recovered as space for temporary exhibitions, curated by the Si.M.U.L.