Some might say the view is the reward after climbing nearly five hundred steps to the top of Torre del Mangia in Siena, Italy. Once on top, the panoramic view makes you forget about your tired legs. Looking straight down, people move like ants through the Piazza del Campo. The zebra striped cathedral and bell tower stand out, sharing the authority above the sea of red tiled rooftops. And just beyond, the hills of the Tuscan countryside meet the horizon. Although I would agree that this panoramic view is definitely a well deserved reward, the actual ascent of the Torre del Mangia is equally memorable.
Each tower I have climbed in Italy is as unique as its coordinates. Hundreds of years old, some stairwells are cramped, others spacious. Some ascents resemble grottos, others have echoing high ceilings. Some are riddled with graffiti, while others immaculately maintained. But each ascent is an adventure we tend to remember more than the view. I have never met a tower I didn’t enjoy climbing. But so far, my favorite tower was the Torre del Mangia in Siena, Italy.
The purposeful construction of the Torre del Mangia was quite progressive back in the early 1300s. Built to match the hight of the cathedral, the intent was to symbolize equal authority between the church and state.
Legend has it, the tower got its name from its first bell ringer, Giovanni di Balduccio, whose job was to climb the steps and ring the bell for the community. Torre del Mangia means “Tower of the Eater” because Balduccio’s had a well known habit of “eating through his earnings.” Siena’s sense of community and passion for good food lives today, well beyond the history and symbolism of this tower’s beginning.
Understanding the symbolism and the history behind its name makes the climb up the Torre del Mangia that much more meaningful. I like to visualize “the eater” climbing up to ring the bell at the same time every day 700 years before me. Did he stop and take breaks? Did he bring a snack to enjoy at the top?
Considering the number of people that climb this tower daily, the route is clean, and well maintained. It starts easy, with equally spaced wide steps. But closer to the top, the brick lined stone stairway gets narrow and the ceiling height gets lower. Just when you feel like you might be ascending out of a cave instead of the top of a tower, you will see the light through a skinny little window and know you’re almost there. Although the view at the top might be the prize, the journey is at least half the fun.
