Two Towers

Two medieval towers at the heart of Bologna

At Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, two brick towers rise above the streets of central Bologna: the Torre degli Asinelli and the shorter, visibly leaning Torre Garisenda. Together they are known as the Due Torri, or Two Towers. They are not simply a paired photo stop. Their different shapes preserve a fragment of the city’s medieval history, while their present condition has made conservation part of the story visitors encounter today.

The municipality’s cultural-heritage record says Bologna once had about one hundred medieval towers; twenty-four survive. Families built such structures for defense and as conspicuous signs of status and wealth. The Asinelli and Garisenda became especially recognizable landmarks, but they should be read as remains of a much denser urban landscape rather than as two isolated curiosities.

The Asinelli Tower was raised between 1109 and 1119 and later passed from the Asinelli family to the municipality, which increased its height. It now stands 97.2 metres tall, with 498 steps to the top. Those figures describe the building, not a promise of entry: the city tourism office’s notice says the tower remains closed to the public while work continues in the surrounding area.

What the towers reveal about the city

Garisenda was built in roughly the same period by members of the Garisendi family. It was originally about 60 metres high, according to the municipal heritage record, but settlement during construction caused it to lean. In 1355 it was shortened to 47 metres because of concern about its stability. The resulting silhouette is now inseparable from Bologna’s skyline.

The tilt also entered literature. Dante refers to Garisenda in the Inferno, using the tower’s appearance beneath a passing cloud as a comparison for the giant Antaeus bending over him. The allusion connects a very specific view in Bologna to one of the best-known works of Italian literature. It is a documented literary reference, unlike the romantic legends often attached to old buildings.

Look at the pair from different angles rather than only from directly in front. Asinelli is markedly taller; Garisenda’s short, sloping profile makes its lean legible even from street level. The surrounding blocks are part of the experience too: the towers stand in a busy historic center where medieval masonry, later shopfronts and contemporary city life occupy the same narrow streets.

Why conservation now shapes the visit

Bologna has monitored both towers for decades with support from university specialists and technical committees. The city reports that measurements of Garisenda’s east-southeast inclination draw on scientific observations begun in the early twentieth century. Investigations also found deterioration in parts of the tower’s base, including the selenite facing and the internal masonry fill.

In November 2023, the technical committee suspended work already under way after unusual movement at the southwest corner indicated a serious risk. The city then restricted the area and installed a protective barrier. Its later project description sets out a staged response: temporary restraint using engineered trusses, close monitoring, tests of injections in the base and further consolidation only after the results have been assessed.

This is a conservation project, not a simple repair with a published finish date. The municipality’s May 2025 explanation describes the technical sequence and continuing monitoring; the City’s Art Bonus page, updated in August 2026, still presents safety and restoration work on Garisenda alongside maintenance for Asinelli. The detailed interventions may change as experts study the structure, so older claims about a fixed cost or a ten-year timetable should not be treated as current guarantees.

The restrictions affect more than the climb up Asinelli. Bologna Welcome states that Asinelli is closed until further notice and that Piazza di Porta Ravegnana and the area around Garisenda are fenced until restoration work is complete. This changes how a visitor can approach the landmark and can also affect nearby pedestrian routes. Follow municipal signs and barriers rather than trying to reach a familiar viewpoint shown in an older guide.

Planning a responsible visit

As of the official information checked for this guide, neither tower is offered as a regular visitor attraction with current opening hours or ordinary admission details. Do not buy tickets from an unofficial reseller or assume that an old page describing the 498-step climb is still valid. Before travelling, check the current Bologna Welcome notice and the City of Bologna’s public works updates; access conditions can change as the worksite advances.

If the towers are closed, you can still understand their place in the city by exploring the surrounding historic center from routes that remain open. Use Bologna’s official tourism information for current alternatives and transport notices, and allow extra time if barriers redirect foot traffic. The best photograph is not worth entering a restricted construction zone or blocking residents and workers.

The Due Torri reward a slower look: one tower tells a story through height and stairs, the other through a lean that has drawn attention for centuries. Their fame comes from more than medieval engineering; it also rests on the ways Bologna remembers, writes about and cares for its built heritage. For now, the most accurate visit is one that treats the restoration as part of the landmark’s present and checks access before setting out.