08/06/2026
The Palazzo dell'Orologio in Pisa is a historic building located in Piazza dei Cavalieri, one of the city’s most important squares. It was built in the 14th century by joining two medieval towers. In the 16th century, the architect Giorgio Vasari redesigned it for the Knights of Saint Stephen under the rule of Cosimo I de’ Medici.
The palace is especially famous because one of its towers is traditionally linked to Count Ugolino della Gherardesca, a nobleman mentioned in Dante’s Inferno. According to legend, Ugolino was imprisoned there with his sons and left to die of starvation in 1289.
Today, the palace is known for its clock façade and remains an important symbol of Pisa’s medieval and Renaissance history.
