Description of the attraction
Palazzo dei Sette and the Torre del Moro tower, which once belonged to the noble family of Della Terza of Orvieto, are now transformed into a cultural and historical complex. For many years, the palace was owned by the Church, and then was used as the residence of members of the city government - hence its name. It is also believed that the architect Antonio da Sangallo lived in this palace for some time. In 1515, Pope Leo X handed over the buildings then known as Torre del Papa and Case di Santa Chiesa for the use of the ruler of Orvieto. Since then, a wide variety of public institutions have been housed here.
The first door to the right of the entrance leads to the Torre del Moro tower, which can be reached on foot or by lift. Tickets are sold at the entrance. One of the two bells that can be seen inside the tower today is very rare - it dates back to 1313. Its rim is engraved with the symbols of 25 urban crafts and the symbol of the Orvieto people.
In 1865, at the very top of the tower, a new reservoir was erected to deliver water from the new aqueduct to the city. Ten years later, it was in turn crowned with a clock. And at the end of the 19th century, the city post office was located on the ground floor of Torre del Moro, which had only recently moved to a new building. Today tourists love to come here, who admire the excellent panorama of Orvieto and the surrounding area, opening from a height of 47 meters.
There are many legends about the origin of the name of the tower - literally translated as "Tower of the Moor". One of the most popular over the years was the legend of a jealous Moor who allegedly lived here. Some historians believe that the name comes from the Moor (or Saracen) doll, which was attached to the tower during medieval knightly tournaments. But the generally accepted version is that the name of the tower comes from the name of Raphael Gualterio, known as "Il Moro", who lived here in the 16th century. The palace next to Torre del Moro, once owned by the Gualterio family, was known by the same name - Palazzo del Moro.
