Landmark
The Two Towers
Bologna · Emilia-Romagna
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Landmark
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Bologna · Emilia-Romagna
- DURATION
- 1–2 days
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
The Two Towers, the Due Torri, are the leaning medieval towers at the head of the Via Rizzoli, and the symbol of Bologna. The taller, the Asinelli, was built around 1109 by the Asinelli family and stands 97 metres high, leaning slightly; the shorter, the Garisenda, built by the rival Garisendi family, was cut down to 48 metres in the 14th century because it leaned too dangerously, and it still leans at a striking angle. They were built as the fortified houses of the leading families of the medieval commune, when Bologna had hundreds of such towers; some 20 survive, and these two are the most famous. The Asinelli can be climbed for the view over the city and the plain.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
In the 12th and 13th centuries the leading families of Bologna, then one of the wealthiest communes in Italy, built tall brick towers as fortified residences and as statements of their power; the city may have had as many as 180 of them. The Asinelli tower was built around 1109 by the Asinelli family and acquired by the commune in the 13th century, which used it as a prison and a watchtower. The Garisenda, built by the rival Garisendi family, originally stood about 60 metres but was cut down to 48 metres in 1351 because its foundations had settled and it leaned too far. The Asinelli has been climbed by visitors for centuries; the Garisenda has been closed throughout, and was recently reinforced amid concern over its lean.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The Asinelli climb — the 498 steps to the top of the 97-metre tower, with the view over the city, the plain and the Apennines.
The Garisenda lean — the shorter tower’s dramatic tilt, one of the most striking leans of any tower in Italy.
The Via Rizzoli — the street that runs between the towers, the main axis of the medieval city.
The other towers — the surviving medieval towers visible from the top of the Asinelli, scattered across the city.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
The Two Towers are the symbol of Bologna, and the most visible record of the medieval commune that built them — a city so wealthy and so factional that its families fortified their houses against each other in the sky. For a visitor, the Asinelli climb gives the best view of the city and the plain, and the Garisenda’s lean is the most dramatic single sight in the centre.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
The Two Towers
The Two Towers, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
44.4936, 11.3447
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FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Trattoria di Via Serra — a beloved trattoria for handmade pasta and Bolognese classics, book ahead
Osteria Bottega — a wine bar and trattoria for the best tortellini in brodo in the city
Trattoria Anna — a no-frills trattoria in the market quarter for tagliatelle al ragù and boiled meats
Salumeria Simoni — a salumeria in the Quadrilatero for a mortadella sandwich and a glass of Lambrusco
Drogheria della Rosa — a romantic trattoria in a vintage grocery for refined Emilian cooking
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Grand Hotel Majestic gia Baglioni — a grand hotel in a 16th-century palace near the station, with a rooftop
Hotel Porta San Mamolo — a charming garden hotel just inside the old walls, a quiet base
Art Hotel Commercianti — a boutique hotel near the Piazza Maggiore, in a medieval building
Hotel Al Cappello Rosso — a historic hotel near the Piazza Maggiore, in business since 1375
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
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