October
31
/ 2023
A leaning tower in Italy is at it again, and no, it’s not in Pisa! Rather, it is the Garisenda Tower in Bologna, and officials have now closed it off, along with the central square adjacent to it, fearing its collapse. A few meters apart from the much taller (double in height) Asinelli Tower, these ‘twin towers’ are historical symbols of the city, with the Garisenda remaining tilted 4 degrees for centuries. Recent surveys, however, have found ‘traces of unexpected rotation’ in the incline that have prompted immediate closure for ‘a number of years’. The 48-meter (157.4 ft), 12th century medieval structure has prompted the Italian city’s mayor, Matteo Lepore, to call in the closure of Piazza di Porta Ravegnana
