Until15Nov
Iron and water. The Gerenzone valley between memory and change
Industrial-archaeology photographs of the Gerenzone valley, in Lecco's Torre Viscontea.
Torre Viscontea, Piazza XX Settembre, LeccoFree entry
Lecco
San Nicolò bell tower
Lecco's bell tower, known as the Matitone: ninety-six metres and 396 steps, climbed with the volunteers as guides.
- Visit duration
- 1 h – 1 h 30
- Booking
- Required
- Area
- Lecco Branch
- Emibuzz · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Emiliobuzz · CC BY-SA 4.0
Why go
The neo-Gothic bell tower of the basilica of San Nicolò, called the Matitone or big pencil for its shape, stands 96 metres high over central Lecco.
Work began in 1882 and paused for lack of funds; the cross placed in 1903 completed the structure. It was inaugurated at Christmas 1904, with nine bells cast that year. The climb with the volunteers follows 396 steps to the bell chamber. From here the view takes in the city, lake and surrounding mountains, including the Resegone. The bell tower has no lift.
- Lecco from above, without leaving the centre.
- Visits are for a few people at a time, with the volunteers who keep the tower.
Highlights
- The chamber with the nine bells of 1904
- The view over the city, the lake and the Resegone
- The basilica of San Nicolò, at the foot of the tower
Getting there
- On foot from Lecco station: five minutes.
Accessibility
- The bell chamber is reached by climbing 396 steps. There is no lift.
On the map
© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL
What's on nearby
Events within a few kilometres, on now or coming up.
Nearby: places, experiences, services
Distances as the crow flies.
Sources and credits
Verified at source1 Oct 2026
Il Campanile di Lecco:Bookingopens in a new tabTicketsopens in a new tab
- Maps, parking, services and distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- Freely licensed photographs: authors and licences under Photograph credits.
Sources and credits
Verified at source1 Oct 2026
Il Campanile di Lecco:Bookingopens in a new tabTicketsopens in a new tab
- Maps, parking, services and distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- Freely licensed photographs: authors and licences under Photograph credits.