Towers of Bologna, Medieval towers complex in Bologna, Italy.
The Towers of Bologna are a group of more than twenty medieval stone structures rising above the rooftops of the city. The tallest among them, Asinelli Tower, stands 97 meters (318 feet) tall, while its neighbor, Garisenda Tower, tilts noticeably from its base.
Between the 12th and 13th centuries, wealthy families built around one hundred towers to demonstrate their status and power. Over the following centuries, most were dismantled or incorporated into other buildings, leaving roughly twenty standing today.
The name of each structure comes from the noble family that commissioned its construction, with many buildings still bearing their original owners' surnames today. Visitors notice how these monuments mark the skyline and help orient travelers moving through the narrow medieval streets.
Anyone planning to climb Asinelli Tower should wear comfortable shoes and be ready for nearly five hundred steps on narrow spiral staircases. Once at the top, the view extends over the red rooftops of the old town to the hills beyond the city.
Garisenda leans more sharply than the tower in Pisa and inspired Dante Alighieri when he wrote his Divine Comedy. Due to growing instability, access is currently closed and an extensive restoration project aims to secure its foundation for future generations.
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