Torre del Candeliere was the main tower on the old fortress built in 1228.
When the Sienese later that century conquered the town, a third of the tower was torn down. As soon as the Sienese had completed the second ring of the town walls, the tower was connected to the new fortress via an arch - Arco Senese. A bell was also hung in the tower in case it was necessary to warn citizens. The first bell was made in 1413. 30 years later another bell was added which was replaced in 1563 and 1610. Unfortunately the bells no longer work.
The convent Santa Clara was built under the Benedictines but following the mid 1200s it was home to the Clarissa nuns. In 1866 it was closed and the nuns moved to a building next to Torre del Candeliere. The convent has since been reopened as a museum, and then as a library and finally as a school. Today the noble old building is home to a public kindergarten.
