Torre Bissara, also known as the Torre di Piazza, city tower in Vicenza, facing the Piazza dei Signori and the famous Basilica Palladiana. Surging at 82 feet from the ground, she is one of the tallest buildings in the city.
The first mention of Torre Bissara meet in 1174, the year when the tower was built on the initiative of the family Biscari near their Palace. Between 1211-1229 m and m years the commune of Vicenza bought the Palace, intending to turn it into the residence of the Podesta, and the tower. Miraculously escaping death during the terrible earthquake 1347-year, Torre Bissara in the middle of the 15th century was built prior to the current 82 meters. Within it were placed the remains of some saints and five bells. Then, for several centuries, the tower was repeatedly reconstructed with the aim of preserving the stability and appearance.
18 March 1945 year of Torre Bissara together with the Basilica palladiana was bombed by Anglo-American troops. The top of the tower caught fire, and the dome collapsed. In such a truncated form on the following day, saw the inhabitants of Vicenza. In addition, broken bells, which fell on the pavement of the square.
Immediately after the Second World war began the restoration of Torre Bissara and the Basilica Palladiana, which caused a controversy in the society as a result of reconstruction the shape of the tower was slightly different from the original. Not all the bells were returned to his seat, like a sphere, indicating the phases of the moon and which was located under the dial.
In 2002, the year approved the project for a radical restoration of Torre Bissara implemented in two passes. The first had as its purpose the strengthening of the whole structure (a problem typical of Vicenza with its underground waters), and the second was aimed at restoring the surface of the structure and its decorations. The dial was painted blue as was probably on the original tower was returned to its original location sphere with moon phases and bells.
Feature of Torre Bissara is that in addition to the usual sound of the bells every half hour and every hour it makes a ringtone is also seven minutes to noon and seven minutes to 18 hours.
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