The Two Towers
Bologna and its towers are one and the same. In the Middle Ages there were about a hundred in the city, but only about twenty have survived to the present day; of these, the Two Towers are undoubtedly the most famous.
Located at the crossroads of five important Bolognese streets - Via Zamboni, Via San Vitale, Strada Maggiore, Via Santo Stefano and Via Castiglione - behind the statue of San Petronio, the Due Torri date back to the 12th century. In medieval times, however, they were not the only ones to tower over this part of the city: between the entrance to Via Rizzoli and Piazza della Mercanzia there were no less than three others, which were destroyed in 1919. In those years, in fact, some important works were being carried out to modify the urban fabric of Bologna, which aimed to improve the safety and viability of the city.
As part of these interventions, it was decided to widen Via Rizzoli, which led to the inauspicious demolition of the three mediaeval towers. Many were opposed to this intervention, from the Committee for Historical and Artistic Bologna to the Committee for the Preservation of Monuments for Emilia. Even the philosophy professor Giorgio del Vecchio, who launched a real petition in favour of their preservation supported by illustrious personalities such as D'Annunzio. But nothing could save the towers.
The Garisenda
Approaching the Two Towers, the first thing that jumps out at you is the
slope of the Garisenda, the lowest tower (47 metres), which is even higher than that of the Tower of Pisa. However, this is not a recent phenomenon: the structural collapse occurred during its construction in the 12th century, and today it is continuously monitored to prevent further subsidence.
Dante Alighieri himself saw it this way during his stay in Bologna, as witnessed by the episode described in the Divine Comedy, in
Canto XXXI of the Inferno, which features the Garisenda as its protagonist. The verses that immortalise it are inscribed on a slab at the foot of the tower.
In this episode from Inferno, Dante and Virgil find themselves in the presence of the giant Antaeus, to whom they ask for help in overcoming an obstacle encountered along their path. Antaeus then bends towards them to let them rise on his hands, and Dante immediately connects this image to the feeling he experienced in the presence of the Garisenda, on a cloudy day.
The Asinelli Tower
Built between 1109 and 1119, the Asinelli tower is
almost 100 metres high and takes its name from the family that wanted it built. The Asinelli is the tallest building in the entire historical centre, and in the past it was also used for defensive purposes for the benefit of the Bolognese community. From the top of its terrace one could see the alarm signals coming from the surrounding territories.
At the foot of the tower we see a building of 15th-century origin, the rocchetta, on whose walkway the guards who watched over the so-called
mercato di mezzo (middle market) once stood. This market took place right around the towers and it was not uncommon for it to become the
epicentre of turmoil and clashes. It seems then that in Visconti times the Two Towers were connected by a wooden bridge, so that the guards could better monitor its progress and intervene immediately if necessary.
Next to the entrance to the tower are some
ancient shops, which help us imagine what the old shops in Bologna must have been like in the Middle Ages.
As is well known, one can still climb up the Asinelli today to admire the spectacle of Bologna from above, with its colourful roofs, bell towers and other surviving towers that still shape the Bolognese skyline. A worthy reward after the effort of climbing the
489 steps that separate the entrance door from the panoramic terrace.
