The Torre dei Quattro Canti in Noli stands as a reminder of the days when wealthy families were permitted to erect buildings as a record of their munificent benefactions to their town…
The Tower of the Four Corners in Noli, in the Province of Savona, is perhaps the most striking building of several in this charming Ligurian coastal village. Standing at a crossroads between four streets (hence the name), at 38 metres it is also the tallest tower in Noli. It dates from the 13th century and is one of only eight towers – out of 72 that have been built over the past millennium – still standing in the village.
From 1192 to 1797 Noli was the proud capital of the republic of the same name, and the story goes that every noble family that ever supported the financing of the republic’s fleet was entitled to erect a tower in honour of their patronage, but today almost all of these towers have been destroyed or become derelict.
Like many of the other towers in Noli, the Torre dei Quattro Canti was built out of red brick to make the village’s skyline appear more distinctive, an
effect that only serves to add to the quaint attraction of this small, beautiful, but otherwise rather unremarkable medieval centre.
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