Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Torre Civica

In Roman times Ravenna was a lagoon city surrounded by water, with at times up to 50.000 inhabitants. The second largest naval base of the Roman Empire was located here. In the late 5th century, Roman authority in the West dissolved, and Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the general Odoacer in 476. Odoacer ruled as king of Italy for 13 years, but in 489 the eastern emperor Zeno sent the Ostrogoth king Theoderic to reconquer Italy. After losing the Battle of Verona, Odoacer retreated to Ravenna, where he withstood a three-year siege. In 493, Theoderic finally took Ravenna and supposedly killed Odoacer with his own hands. Ravenna became the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy. Theodoric died in 526 and various Ostrogothic military leaders took the Kingdom of Italy, but none was really successful. Meanwhile, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I opposed both Ostrogoth rule. In 535 his general Belisarius invaded Italy and in 540 conquered Ravenna. After the conquest of Italy was completed in 554, Ravenna became the seat of the Byzantine government in Italy. Under Byzantine rule, the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ravenna held second place in Italy after the pope and played an important role during this period. In 751 Lombard king, Aistulf conquered Ravenna, thus ending Byzantine rule in northern Italy. King Pepin of the Franks attacked the Lombards and Ravenna gradually came under the direct authority of the Popes. Pope Adrian I authorized Charlemagne to take away anything from Ravenna that he liked, and Roman columns, mosaics, statues, and other portable items were taken north to enrich his capital of Aachen. In 1198 Ravenna led a league of Romagna cities against the Emperor. After the war of 1218, the Traversari family was able to impose its rule in the city, but after a short period, Ravenna was returned to the Papal States in 1248 and again to the Traversari until 1275. One of the most illustrious residents of Ravenna at this time was the exiled Florentine poet Dante. In 1441 the city was annexed to the Venetian territories. - The tower from the 12th century belonged to a prestigious family but already around 1320, became the property of the Municipality and was named Torre Civica (Civic Tower). From that moment on throughout centuries, its bells have rung out to citizens on religious and civil occasions, as well as in the event of calamity or danger. Over the course of many centuries of activity, the bell tower underwent numerous modifications, partly to address the stability problems that may have been caused by the oscillation of the bells. In 2000, the highest part of the tower (about 13 meters) was removed to prevent it from collapsing. However, even today, although reduced to a height of 26 meters, the building still suffers from a slow process of subterranean landsliding, which is also responsible for its progressive inclination, earning it the name “Leaning Tower”.

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). In the center of the Città alta is the Piazza Vecchia and the old town hall "Palazzo della Ragione" (aka "Palazzo Vecchio"), erected 1183 - 1198. It burnt down and got rebuilt at least twice over the centuries. Over the balcony is the "Lion of Saint Mark", as Bergamo was part of the Republic of Venice upto 1797. The Torre Civica was the tower house of the (Ghibelline) Suardi family in the 12th century. Most of the previous uplaoded photos were taken from top of the tower.

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Standig on top of the Torre Civica in the Città alta. The tower was erected in the 11th/12th century as a tower house for the (Ghibelline) Suardi family. The facade of the Romanesque basilica Santa Maria Maggiore and the Cappella Colleoni, erected between 1472 and 1476 as a mausoleum for Bartolomeo Colleoni and his daughter Medea. On the right is the roof of the octagonal baptistery, built in 1340. In 1650 the baptistery was dismantled, but was saved, and in 1856 reassembled. It was moved to its present site in 1889.

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Standig on top of the Torre Civica in the Città alta. The tower was erected in the 11th/12th century as a tower house for the (Ghibelline) Suardi family. Seen to the left is a part of the Palazzo della Ragione´s stepped gable and a part of the Duomo´s facade. Further right is the Romanesque basilica Santa Maria Maggiore and the Cappella Colleoni, erected between 1472 and 1476 as a mausoleum for Bartolomeo Colleoni and his daughter Medea. Only partly seen is the roof of the small, octagonal baptistery.

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Standig on top of the Torre Civica in the Città alta. The tower was erected in the 11th/12th century as a tower house for the (Ghibelline) Suardi family. Just in front is Palazzo della Ragione´s stepped gable, behind the Palazzo is the Duomo di Bergamo. Further to the right are Santa Maria Maggiore and the Cappella Colleoni.

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Standig on top of the Torre Civica in the Città alta. The tower was erected in the 11th/12th century as a tower house for the (Ghibelline) Suardi family. All notable families had such towers built - and Bergamo was named "Città dalle cento torri" - "City of hundred towers". The fountain in the center of the Piazza Vecchia.

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Standig on top of the Torre Civica in the center of the Città alta. The tower was erected in the 11th/12th century as a tower house for the (Ghibelline) Suardi family. All notable families had such towers built - and Bergamo was named "Città dalle cento torri" - "City of hundred towers". The white Palazzo Nuovo on the Piazza Vecchia now hosts the Public Library. To the right is the Torre del Gombito, erected in the 13th century and then owned by the (Guelph) Rivola family.

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo has two centres: Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Standig on top of the Torre Civica (56m) in the center of the Città alta. The tower was erected in the 11th/12th century as a tower house for the (Ghibelline) Suardi family. All notable families had such towers built - and Bergamo was named "Città dalle cento torri" - "City of hundred towers". Seen to the right is the "Chiese de San Salvatore" (1700) and the Torre Scaraguaito (1300), another tower house.

Evening sun in Pavia. The "Duomo di Pavia" has a huge dome. The construction of the cathedral started in 1488, replacing a Romanesque cathedral. This was a construction side for more than four centuries. The dome was completed in 1885, but partially collapsed that same year. Neighbouring already the older, Romanesque church stood the "Torre Civica", an 11th century tower, that was 72 metres high. This tower collapsed in March 1989. The collapse killed four people - and started a discussion about the safety of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.