Description
The Torre di Catilina is a stone tower about 30 meters tall overlooking Piazza del Duomo, the heart of Pistoia: one of the towers that give the medieval city its character, with a name that points to a Roman legend.
It dates from the 9th century and is built entirely of stone, with a stern, compact profile. On the roof there is a panoramic terrace that takes in the whole of Piazza del Duomo from above.
The name comes from a legend: the body of Lucius Sergius Catilina, the Roman politician of the famous conspiracy, is said to be buried in the very street where the tower stands, which is in fact called Via Tomba di Catilina. Catiline died in 62 BC fighting in the Battle of Pistoia.
Another tower bearing his name stands outside the city, at Vaioni: Niccolò Puccini had it built around 1840 at the highest point of the park of Villa di Scornio.
It dates from the 9th century and is built entirely of stone, with a stern, compact profile. On the roof there is a panoramic terrace that takes in the whole of Piazza del Duomo from above.
The name comes from a legend: the body of Lucius Sergius Catilina, the Roman politician of the famous conspiracy, is said to be buried in the very street where the tower stands, which is in fact called Via Tomba di Catilina. Catiline died in 62 BC fighting in the Battle of Pistoia.
Another tower bearing his name stands outside the city, at Vaioni: Niccolò Puccini had it built around 1840 at the highest point of the park of Villa di Scornio.