About
Most memorials only aspire to the solemn grandeur of this military mausoleum.
Built in or around 1384 by wealthy silk merchants, the 125 foot high Guinigi tower house is one of the few remaining tower houses in Lucca. At one time, it housed as many as 250 defensive tower houses. Today, only about 9 remain in the ancient walled city. The towers were built during the mercenary-filled post-plague years in Italy, when Tuscany was repeatedly turned upside-down by disease, raids, and outbursts of politically charged violence. The 14th century in Italy was, as they say, Interesting Times.
