Updated in September 2026, this Ghirlandina Tower guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, transport, accessibility and what to see.
The Ghirlandina is Modena’s 89.32-metre bell tower, standing beside the cathedral as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visits currently reach only the fifth-floor Torresani Room; access to the very top is not permitted, in line with current safety regulations.
Quick facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily. April–September 9:30–19:00; October–March 9:30–18:00. Entry by timed slot only |
| Ticket prices | €6.00 standard, €4.00 reduced, free under 12 |
| Address | Piazza Torre, 41121 Modena, Italy |
| Nearest transport | About 15–20 minutes on foot from Modena railway station |
| Typical time needed | 30 to 45 minutes |
Ghirlandina Tower opening hours
The tower is open every day. From April to September, hours run 9:30 to 19:00, with entry slots every 45 minutes from 9:45 to 18:00. From October to March, hours run 9:30 to 18:00, with entry slots from 9:45 to 17:15.
The tower is closed on Christmas Day and the morning of 1 January, but stays open on 31 January, the feast day of Modena’s patron saint. Visits run in groups of up to 25 people per hourly shift, and reservation is mandatory.
Ghirlandina Tower ticket prices
Standard admission costs €6.00. A reduced rate of €4.00 applies to children, Modena residents, students aged 13 to 26, and visitors over 65. Entry is free for children up to 12, people with disabilities and their carers, tour guides and interpreters, and teachers accompanying student groups.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in September 2026. There is no combined ticket covering the tower alongside the cathedral, since both are free to enter separately; only the Ghirlandina itself charges admission.
Groups planning to visit together are encouraged to contact the tourist office in advance to arrange one or more time slots, since availability per shift is limited to 25 people.
How to get to the Ghirlandina Tower
From Modena railway station, it is about a 15 to 20 minute walk along flat streets to Piazza Grande, or a short ride by local bus or taxi. Modena is well connected by train, with Bologna just 20 minutes away.
Parking at the Ghirlandina Tower
The historic centre around Piazza Grande has restricted traffic access; visitors arriving by car should use one of the public car parks near the centre and walk in.
How long to spend at the Ghirlandina Tower
The timed visit itself takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Many visitors combine it with time in the adjoining cathedral and Piazza Grande.
Accessibility at the Ghirlandina Tower
Reaching the fifth-floor Torresani Room involves climbing the tower’s original medieval stairs, so the visit is not accessible to wheelchairs or strollers. Small dogs are permitted if carried.
Inside the Ghirlandina Tower: what to see
The tower takes its nickname from the double ring of parapets crowning its steeple, said to look “as light as garlands” (ghirlanda in Italian).
Construction began around 1160, reaching a height of 11 metres before pausing; between 1167 and 1184, building resumed up to the fifth floor, topped by four corner turrets. The sixth storey, incorporating those turrets, followed in 1260, and the tower was finally completed in 1319 with its Gothic octagonal pinnacle, designed by Enrico da Campione.
The tower’s white marble cladding was, according to recent scientific analysis carried out during restoration work between 2007 and 2011, salvaged from the ruins of the Roman city of Mutina, on which Modena now stands.
On the fifth floor, visitors reach the Stanza dei Torresani, decorated with elegant medieval capitals and once home to the tower’s keepers. Beyond its bell-ringing role, the tower’s thick walls historically guarded the municipality’s “Sacristy,” which held strongboxes, official documents, and the Secchia Rapita (“Stolen Bucket”), a fourteenth-century object at the centre of a real conflict between Modena and Bologna during the 1325 Battle of Zappolino, later immortalised in Alessandro Tassoni’s mock-heroic poem of the same name; a copy is on display.
Together with Modena’s cathedral and Piazza Grande, the Ghirlandina has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Beyond its religious role as the cathedral’s belltower, the Ghirlandina long served civic purposes too: its bells marked the rhythm of daily life in Modena, signalled the opening of the city gates each morning, and sounded the alarm in times of danger.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Book your entry slot online in advance, since group sizes are capped at 25. |
| Crowds | Summer weekends fill entry slots fastest; book well ahead if visiting then. |
| Layout | Combine your visit with the adjoining cathedral and Piazza Grande, both free. |
| Entry process | Reserve a specific time slot online, by phone or by email; no payment is taken at booking. |
| On-site logistics | The visit ends at the Torresani Room; the tower’s summit is not open to visitors. |
Frequently asked questions about the Ghirlandina Tower
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Ghirlandina Tower suitable for children? | Yes, and children up to 12 enter free. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Ghirlandina Tower? | Yes. Reservation of a specific time slot is mandatory. |
| Is the Ghirlandina Tower open every day? | Yes, except Christmas Day and the morning of 1 January. |
| Can you reach the top of the Ghirlandina Tower? | No. Visits only go as far as the fifth-floor Torresani Room. |
| Is the Ghirlandina Tower part of a UNESCO site? | Yes, together with Modena’s cathedral and Piazza Grande since 1997. |
Things to do near the Ghirlandina Tower
- Modena Cathedral: the Romanesque cathedral standing right beside the tower.
- Piazza Grande: Modena’s central square and part of the same UNESCO site.
- Mercato Albinelli: a historic covered food market, a short walk away.
- Palazzo Comunale: Modena’s town hall, adjoining Piazza Grande.
- Museo Enzo Ferrari (MEF): a museum on Enzo Ferrari’s life, about 10–15 minutes’ walk away.
Alternative attractions
- Two Towers of Bologna: the Asinelli and Garisenda towers, about 20 minutes away by train.
- Ferrari Museum, Maranello: the marque’s home museum, about 20 minutes away by car.
- Basilica of Sant’Andrea, Mantua: a Renaissance church by Alberti, about 1 hour away.
- Torrazzo di Cremona: one of Italy’s tallest medieval towers, about 1.5 hours away.
- Torre del Mangia, Siena: Tuscany’s iconic civic tower, a longer trip of several hours south.
More Italy travel
Other Italy travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Discover the life of the world’s most famous tenor at the Pavarotti Museum near Modena.
- Visitor highlights at the University of Bologna.
- Exploring Palladian architecture in Vicenza, including the Basilica Palladiana and Teatro Olimpico.
- A guide to Verona for first time visitors – including the Torre dei Lamberti.
- A guide to Padua for first time visitors – including the Palazzo Bo, Cappella degli Scrovegni and Orto Botanico.
