Vilminore Bell tower
Bell Tower of the Arcipresbiterial Parish Church of Vilminore
Height: 67 m, the tallest building in the Val di Scalve.
History
- Construction: 1792–1803, designed by Girolamo Luchini, an architect from Bergamo.
- Previous collapse: before 1790 due to insufficient foundations.
- Main modifications (1825–1828):
- Demolition of the dome and the statue of Saint Peter due to structural problems.
- Statue replaced with a wooden cross covered in copper, still visible today.
- Restorations:
- 1842: Dome restored and a protective iron railing added.
- 1844: Work on the bell frame.
- Late 1900s: Complete cleaning of the stones and general restoration.
Curiosities
In 1942, during the Fascist regime, Mussolini ordered the requisition of bells to convert them into firearms. The women of Vilminore defended the bells by barricading themselves inside the bell chamber, preventing their confiscation.
Structure
- Orders: Three main levels resting on a richly decorated base called bugnato.
- Cornices: Projecting cornices create an optical illusion making the building appear shorter.
- Material: Local Stiltite Ardesiaca stone, gray-green in color, hand-carved with chisels.
- Internal masonry: Very thick walls.
- Unique feature: Engravings in the bell chamber depicting the “tria multipla,” a pre-Christian symbol also visible in the bell tower of the Basilica of San Marco in Venice.