Torre dei Lambardi - Magione
It was once a decidedly significant strategic point, and was at the centre of violent battles during the late medieval period.
When visiting Magione, don’t miss seeing the Lambardi (or Lombardi) Tower, built between the 12th and 13th centuries. It is easily reached on foot from the centre of the village and surrounded by a beautiful park. The tower is about 30 meters high and has a quadrangular shape; its internal structure is divided into three floors and two half-floors, with a terrace at the top offering a splendid view. It was once a decidedly significant strategic point, and was at the centre of violent battles during the late medieval period. It must have been a formidable fortress, favoured by its height and a bastion-shaped plinth at the base. Originally built by the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (Knights Hospitaller), now known as the Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, it had the important function of guaranteeing or blocking the flow of foodstuffs destined for Perugia, particularly fish from the northern shore of Lake Trasimeno.
The internal structure of the tower must have originally had three floors in stone and three more in wood, accessed by a spiral staircase, of which only a small vestige remains at the top. Externally it had a moat and a stone bridge (now buried) that allowed the passage of only one person at a time. The origin of the name is doubtful: in the late Middle Ages, "lambardi" (later Lombardi) was used to refer generically to the nobles of rural communities (in this case, the Knights Hospitaler themselves); but there are those who claim that the fortress took on this name after 4 June 1688, in memory of the killing of Marcello Lombardi, which took place near the building. Visitors can the tower today by paying an entrance fee; it can be ascended either by stairs or lift. The second floor of the tower is now used as a hall for conferences, concerts, weddings, film festivals, and lectures. The two half-floors, which coincide with the second and fourth floors, along with the third floor, are areas used for temporary exhibitions.