No, we’re not talking of the leaning tower. Also not a tower at a bridge. We’re talking of a tower you’d probably never heard of unless you’ve visited and explored the Piedmont wine region.
Piedmont in Italy borders France and Switzerland at the foot of the Alps and is known for food and wines such as Barolo – and some stunning scenery. Torre di Barbaresco is a symbol of the town but is only 30 metres high; with views over the Tanaro valley. With a square base of brick and a sandstone base, the top still contains remains of the battlements that formed a crown at the time of its construction. The tower is half filled with earth and in the past the entrance was reached via a ladder on the side of the Tanaro river. Today you ascend the earth-filled section in a lift alongside the tower before you reach the ticket offer and get another lift to the top.
The first documented presence of a tower in Barbaresco dates back to the end of the 11th century when it was a wall fortification aimed at delimiting the shelter including the “castle and tower”. The strategic position of Barbaresco was considered important by the new-born Municipality of Alba when the village was included in its territorial boundaries. In the second half of 1300, the Tower of Barbaresco was placed in the Visconti period. In the following centuries, under the dominion of the Gonzagas, the Tower continued to remain part of the Barbaresco fortification, even if more detailed information is not available.
In a state of total abandonment – a cherry tree protruded from the top, clearly visible from the town – the Tower was sold in 1982 to the Municipality of Barbaresco when it was restored and the scenic viewing area was opened to visitors in July 2015.
Today the Tower can be booked for events and wine tastings and in the summer it’s a great viewpoint to sip a glass of Italian wine admiring the 360-degree views. You descend back to the lower elevator via interior stairs from the top half of the Tower and there is a cool glass walkway level and an aerial view effect where it feels like you’re floating over some local vineyards.
TOP TIP: As at 2021 entry is just five euros – go on a warm sunny day and when you buy your entry ticket, also get a glass of wine which will be brought up to the top for you to sip before descending the stairs.
An Underrated Tower in Italy written by John T – one of the international Thacks Awards panelists, living in Spain. When not traveling and wine-tasting, John is an iGaming specialist reporting into director level in the sports betting industry with a degree in Information Technology.
SEE THE FULL LIST OF 2021 ‘THACKS AWARDS’ WINNERS HERE.
MEET THE INTERNATIONAL PANELISTS HERE.
READ ALL THE BLOG POSTS HERE.
Thacks Awards 