Torricella Massimiliana

Torricella Massimiliana rises on Verona’s Santa Giuliana ridge as one of four circular artillery towers built in 1837. Designed for the Austrian Empire by Major General Franz von Scholl, it formed part of a defensive system that replaced continuous walls with separate fortified positions.

The two-storey casemated tower covers a circle about 34 metres wide and reaches roughly 15 metres high. Tuff blocks form its regular exterior, while classical cornices and arched cannon embrasures sharpen the geometric design. Inside, a double-level annular casemate includes twelve cannon openings, a rifle gallery, a rainwater cistern and a bombproof powder magazine. A central double-helical staircase connects the floors with the terrace, where artillery mounts on metal rails could turn across the horizon.

A small dry moat protects the entrance, and tall trees now cover hills once kept bare for military manoeuvres. Radio and television masts later occupied the site, while masonry damage and water infiltration mark the tower’s long exposure to neglect.