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Torre Galluzzi

Home of Bologna's Juliet

Built in 1257 by the Guelph family Galluzzi, in a courtyard surrounded by other family palazzi, this was built as a refuge of last resort: standing 30m today (the extremely thick walls and extensive use of selenite at the base suggest it may originally have been higher), the only original entrance was 10m up, and accessible only by a wooden gangway extending from a palace across the courtyard. The ground floor entrance was added much later.

The Galluzzi (or Galluzzo di Capramozza) were among the most avid supporters of the pope and fierce opponents of the Ghibellines, especially the Carbonesi family. When Virginia Galluzzi secretly married Alberto Carbonesi, in spite of both being locked away in their respective towers, her brothers killed Alberto, and Virginia hanged herself in despair.

Corte dei Galluzzi

Medieval Art and Architecture

Towers and Gates

Text © Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls

Image by Ico-Neko, Creative Commons Licence