Torrazzo di Cremona
At 112.54 metres, the Torrazzo is the third tallest brick bell tower in the world, and it dominates Piazza del Comune with the quiet authority of something that has been watching this city for eight centuries. What stops you first, though, isn't the height — it's the astronomical clock face on the fourth storey, 8.20 metres across, painted with the zodiac and the moving paths of the sun and moon.
The tower is actually two towers: one inserted inside the other, with 502 steps climbing through the cavity between them. Its seven bells, recast in 1744 but still ringing on the original 1581 clappers, are tuned in A-flat major — a detail that feels very Cremona.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who've made the climb more than once tend to time it for a clear morning before the Po plain haze thickens. The view to the Alps is not guaranteed — fog is genuinely common, especially from November through February — so checking the horizon before you commit to 502 steps is not overcaution, it's strategy.
The story behind Torrazzo di Cremona
Construction began in the 1230s and moved in stages across the following decades, reaching its marble spire in 1309. The tower was originally tied to the Palazzo Comunale — civic and sacred power sharing the same skyline. Beneath it, 1980s excavations turned up traces of an earlier churchyard and possibly Roman structures underneath.
The astronomical clock came later: Francesco and Giovan Battista Divizioli, a Cremonese father-and-son team, built the mechanism between 1583 and 1588. The exterior had already been painted in 1483 by Paolo Scazzola, representing the heavens with zodiac constellations. The current dial dates to a 1970 repainting, but the original mechanism still runs. In 2018, the interior was reorganised as the Vertical Museum, with a Foucault's Pendulum and halls dedicated to astronomy and timekeeping.
Good to know
A 15-minute walk from Cremona station. The €10 combined ticket covers the Vertical Museum, the Baptistery, and the Diocesan Museum — good value if you're spending the day around the piazza. No elevator; lower museum floors are accessible. Closed Mondays.
Winter brings frequent fog across the Po plain — thick enough, some days, to swallow the lower rooflines entirely. Clear views to the Alps and the river plain are most reliable in late spring and early autumn, when the air settles and the light is long.
Where is Torrazzo di Cremona?
More tickets & tours for Torrazzo di Cremona
Book directly at the provider
What travellers say about Torrazzo di Cremona
Lovely experience and only 10 Euro. Take your time and enjoy the historical exhibits during the climb. It is worth climbing the Torrazzo di Cremona and the view is beautiful. I did it during the Torrone Festival so there was a lot of music and activity which made it extra special!
With a height of 112m, this is the 3rd tallest brickwork bell tower in the world. I have climbed a lot of church bell towers in many Italian towns, personally I think the view on the top is good, but not as spectacular as I had expected. But the tower itself is very well designed, with small "galleries" of different scientific interests spreaded throughout different floors, to keep visitors interested.
Beautiful views from the top! The climb is over 500 steps, but there several floor in the museum where you can take a break if needed.
The Vertical museum in Cremona was interesting to visit. The context of the museum is within a beautiful piazza with a gelato place on the corner of the piazza. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes because the entire way up is all stairs. It's a really magical experience because it takes you through time and shows you the different instruments used through the ages. The top of the tower offers a beautiful 360 view of the city. Would definitely recommend a visit here if you like history!
Beautiful. Free to enter and walk around. I happened to be there the same time as a mass service and it was lovely to sit at the back and listen.
More of Cremona
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Cremona →More attractions in Cremona
All of Cremona →
Background adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · ratings & place photos via Google · other photos with per-image credit. Ticket links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.