The crooked church tower of Barbian

The bell tower of the Parish Church of St James stands in the centre of Barbiano. At 37 metres high and with a lean of 1.56 metres, it is one of the village’s best-known landmarks.

The tower dates back to the 13th century and is the only surviving part of the original Romanesque church. Its distinctive lean developed because one part of the foundations rests on unstable ground, while the other was built on solid quartz phyllite rock. Stabilisation work was carried out between 1985 and 1988.

The tower is only a few minutes’ walk from the village square and the tourist office. Allow around 10–15 minutes to view it from the outside. The interior of the tower is not normally open to visitors.

If you would also like to visit the parish church, check the opening times in advance. Please be quiet and respectful during religious services and celebrations.

From Klausen, take the SS12 towards Bolzano to Waidbruck. Turn towards Barbian and follow the road to the village centre. The leaning tower is clearly visible from a distance.