Torrione di porta Castello (English)

Stampa

Updated to: 05/06/2023

The Torrione was built in the 12th century at the western entrance to the old town of Vicenza. It was later enlarged by Ezzelino III da Romano and demolished after his death. In 1343 it was rebuilt during Scaliger occupation and became part of the medieval city walls. Antonio and Mastino II della Scala restored the fortress that Ezzelino had conceived and transformed it into a real castle, which occupied a square area and was surrounded by a deep moat.

Subsequently, during Visconti domination, the crenellation and the upper lantern were added and the Torrione took on the current features.

During the 17th Century, the Castle, no longer serving as protection, was sold by the Venetian Republic to Valmarana family, except for the Torrione, which served as public pass. Valmarana family transformed the Northern Wing of the Castle into a Palace overlooking their ancient garden. The dismantlement of its remnants occurred at the end of the 18th Century did not severely damage the Torrione.

Nevertheless, between the 19th and the 20th century, the entrance arch was doubled and complemented with two walkways, due to traffic reason. The last two restoration works date back to 1999 and 2018. It is still possible to detect the internal perimeter of the ancient Castle in the rectangular space that opens ahead of Torrione doorway, in front of the Corso.

After five centuries (3.04.2018), the Torrione returned to be a public good. The collector Mr. Antonio Coppola, after buying it at auction, gave the bare property of the impressive building to the Municipality of Vicenza. Fondazione Coppola has been owning the usufruct of the Torrione for 30 years, using it as a contemporary art gallery and ensuring its management and maintenance.

Tickets

• Entrance without exhibition: € 4.00
• Entrance with exhibition: € 5.00
• Reduced price ticket for people over 65: € 4.00
• Reduced price ticket for groups of min. 10 people: € 3.00
• Free entrance for the under 18s, for accredited journalists with valid press pass and with Vi-University card
• Free entrance for the owners of Vicenza Card
• Reduced price tickets by € 1.00 for the owners of the City Museum's ticket:  (Teatro Olimpico, Palazzo Chiericati City Museum, Natural History and Archaeological Museum, Risorgimento and Resistance Museum - villa Guiccioli, Santa Corona Church, Palladian Basilica), Diocesan Museum, Italian Galleries - Palazzo Leoni Montanari, Palladio Museum and Museo del Gioiello

The group will be accompanied by the staff, who will follow them throughout the visit and will be available to provide information on the place and the ongoing exhibitions. Otherwise, groups can visit the place without tour guide or accompanied by their own.

Visits

The Torrione is open to visitors with and without ongoing exhibitions.

Group visits (with more than 15 people) can be organised via online booking on the websites of Fondazione Coppola.

Reservations are recommended for groups, via the following website: https://www.fondazionecoppola.org/en/visit/
For safety reasons, the access is allowed to groups of max. 23 people. 

Where and when

Location

Torrione di porta Castello

Stampa