Next to the cathedral there is the bell tower commonly called Torrazzo. It is more than 112 metres high and it is the result of the superimposition of two different structures. The first one, probably built in 1267, is a Romanesque tower with Guelph battlements. The second one is constituted by two octagonal drums (garland) placed at the top of the tower. It is assumed that the construction was finished in 1305. The ball and the cross placed at the top of the dome date back to the 17th century.
Suggestive is the climb of the Torrazzo from the top of which you can enjoy a wonderful panorama of the city and the river Po.
The belfry contains 7 bells cast in 1744. Each one is dedicated to a saint, including the city’s protector, St. Omobono. Their sounds form a concert in A flat.
The astronomical clock of the bell tower was installed in 1583 by Francesco Divizioli in substitution of an older one and following the Gregorian Reform of the calendar. The perfectly working mechanism is the original one, while the dial has been repainted several times. The current version dates back to 1970. The clock is able to indicate the motion of the stars, the phases of the moon and the motion of the sun.
