Barbarossa Tower

Legend intertwines with the miraculous: the miracle of the Madonna caused a dead cherry tree to bloom with flowers, symbolizing the rebirth and freedom that the people of Acquapendente were preparing to seize from the tyrant. The brave townspeople managed to rebel against imperial rule, tearing down the castle that represented its power and regaining their freedom.
This heroic act gave rise to the tradition of the Pugnaloni Festival and the Feast of the Madonna del Fiore, celebrated on the third Sunday of May.
The tower appears in the first printed map of the city (1572) on top of the hill dominating the town on the left. However, it is absent in Guicciardi’s bird’s-eye view map (1582), only to reappear with a clock in De Rossi’s 1686 edition.
The clock already existed in 1588, as noted by local historian P. P. Biondi, who wrote: “The four hills that are included, one of the orioles, are wondering, because of the clock that stands there, though it was formerly called the emperor’s castle, as the emperor who ruled this land once lived there.”
 

The tower’s current form is the result of 19th-century renovations which added the bell chamber and battlements. The park surrounding the tower was developed after World War II, having previously been cultivated as vegetable gardens and vineyards throughout the 19th century by various owners, including the friars of San Francesco and Sant’Agostino, the Confraternity of the Buona Morte, the Holy Sacrament and other institutions and private citizens.
The predominant tree species in the park are domestic and maritime pines, with numerous cypress trees, horse chestnuts and Lebanon cedars. Squirrels can often be seen among the treetops and the park provides a perfect location for enjoying breathtaking panoramic views of the town.
More recently, an outdoor fitness circuit has been added to the park, making it an ideal spot for those seeking to keep fit outdoors.