Torre del Girone

or del Tormento, and the Arco degli Zavattieri

This tower dating back to the second half of the 12th century has been used for various purposes over the centuries, as its name shows. The first name derives from a deep ditch that surrounded the residential tower house. Later on it was used as a communal archive, and was destroyed by fire in the early years of the 16th century.
From 1656 to the end of the 19th century the tower was used as a prison and was annexed to the new prison building, later destroyed, that closed Corte dei Bissari off towards Contrà Catena. When they were being transferred from the Venetian Piombi prison to Spielberg, Silvio Pellico and Federico Confalonieri spent some time there as well.
The Arch of the Zavattieri, built in 1494, joins the Tower to the Palazzo del Podestà. The name derives from the "çiavate" (shoe) market below.

Address: Piazza delle Erbe