Romanesque Bell Tower of Santa Marcellina
A medieval masterpiece in the Lanzo Valleys.
Standing 21 metres tall and made entirely of stone, the bell tower of Santa Marcellina is the only remnant of an ancient complex that was destroyed by a landslide. It is regarded as the best example of Romanesque architecture in the Lanzo Valleys, standing alone with its mullioned windows and hexagonal spire. The tower silently witnesses nearly a thousand years of Piedmontese history.
Site overview
The Romanesque bell tower from the 12th century remains the only surviving part of the church-bell tower-cemetery complex dedicated to Santa Marcellina.
The original church collapsed after a landslide. Around the early 17th century, a new church was constructed on its site, but it has also been lost. The choir of the original church, which was later turned into a chapel, was demolished in the early 20th century. The bell tower of the old Santa Marcellina parish church, built in Lombard Gothic style, is regarded as the best example of Romanesque architecture in the Lanzo Valleys.
It has a square base and rises about 21 metres tall. The upper part includes two levels of mullioned windows, each framed by six small hanging arches. The bell tower is made entirely of stone and is crowned with a hexagonal spire.
How to visit the site
In the upper part of the village, at the end of Via Roma, Ceres 10070.
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