In the centre of Maggiana, a hamlet of Mandello del Lario, the Torre di Maggiana — also known as the Barbarossa Tower — is a 24-metre medieval tower that houses an ethnographic museum devoted to life and work in times past.
History
The tower dates, according to historical reconstructions, from the twelfth century. It has a square base about 6.2 metres on each side, with walls roughly 120 centimetres thick at the bottom; it retains three original arrow loops and windows dating from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century. It is crowned by an octagonal terrace with marble elements, added in the nineteenth century by the previous owner, Francesco Alippi.
The “Barbarossa” name comes from a tradition that Emperor Frederick I stayed here in 1158 as a guest of the Mandelli family. The story was reinforced by the discovery, on 5 May 1828, of a stone plaque bearing the inscription “FRIDERIC IMPERAT GERMAN HIC TUTUS QUIEVIT ANNO 1158”. The building has belonged to the Comune of Mandello del Lario since 1976.
The museum
The tower houses an ethnographic museum run by G.A.MAG. (Gruppo Amici di Maggiana), with objects and images from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century documenting everyday life and the working activities of the area.
Practical information
- Address: Via San Giorgio, Maggiana, Mandello del Lario.
- Building site from 5 October 2026: probably closed. The Comune of Mandello has started the first lot of works, of about 350,000 euros and about nine months, for the recovery, strengthening and securing of the tower; the whole project is worth about 588,000 euros and the second, later lot will cover the completion of the works and a new museum display with multimedia devices, within the provincial museum system (SiMUL). Three parking spaces in piazza San Rocco are occupied by the site until 31 March 2027 (Resegone online, 3 October 2026). We found no official source saying whether the ethnographic museum stays open during the works: before setting out check the Comune’s announcements or contact the museum (museotorremaggiana@gmail.com).