Pighin Tower

Pighin Tower is one of the only three remaining medieval towers in Rovigo, the other two being part of a former castle. It was once part of the city walls that once surrounded the town, but today it stands as a residential building.

The structure was built in 1138 during the construction of the city walls. At first glance, the 23-meter (75 foot) brick tower looks like a typical medieval fortification. But if you look at the side facing towards the city center, its unique properties become apparent: A whole building sits inside the tower, occupying most of it.

Originally, the tower stood open to the interior of the city. It was divided into several wooden floors, which were connected to each other via ladders. In the 18th century, the city walls being slowly demolished and the tower no longer served its military utility. It was decided to turn the tower to residential use, taking advantage of the already built structures that occupied the empty space. The building changed many owners and at one point it was abandoned and it was set to be demolished in 1904.

But it was later restored and is now still being used as a residential building, while keeping its original appearance and unique look.