Two Towers (Asinelli & Garisenda)
Due Torri
A city landmark of Bologna: two 12th-century family towers, one tall and one leaning, remnants of the medieval 'City of a Hundred Towers.'
The Two Towers stand in Piazza di Porta Ravegnana and date from the 12th century, when noble families built them to display their wealth and for defence. The Torre degli Asinelli is about 97 metres tall, one of the tallest surviving medieval leaning towers in Italy, and 498 wooden steps lead to the top for views over the city's red rooftops. Beside it, the Torre della Garisenda is only about 48 metres tall but leans noticeably. Dante used it as a metaphor in the Divine Comedy. Please note: since October 2023, a protective zone has been set up around the towers due to monitoring and reinforcement work on the Garisenda, and climbing the Asinelli has been suspended as a result. The reopening date follows official announcements, so check the Bologna Welcome tourist office website before your trip. Even if you can't climb the tower, looking up at the towers from the square and strolling the university area along Via Zamboni is well worth it.
Opening hours
Exterior open all day; tower access per official announcements
Nearby sights
- Palazzo Pepoli – Museum of the History of Bologna
- Quadrilatero
- Santa Maria della Vita
- San Giacomo Maggiore
- Prendiparte Tower
- Santo Stefano (Seven Churches)
- Museo Civico Archeologico di Bologna
- Basilica of San Petronio