Preserving History: Italy’s Bold Plan to Save Bologna’s Leaning Tower
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Italy is racing against time to prevent the collapse of Italy’s iconic leaning tower, this time in Bologna. The Torre Garisenda, standing at 48 meters (158 feet) tall and built in the 12th century, has been gradually tilting for centuries. Now, with the angle reaching four degrees, slightly more than the renowned Tower of Pisa, concerns about its stability have escalated.
In response to mounting worries as a result of the collapse of Italy’s iconic leaning tower, Bologna’s mayor, Matteo Lepore, unveiled a plan reminiscent of the one employed to stabilize the Tower of Pisa. Pylons and cables, originally utilized in Pisa’s preservation efforts, will be repurposed and combined with adapted steel scaffolding to reinforce the Garisenda tower. This endeavor, estimated at 19 million euros (about $20 million), aims to safeguard the historic structure and potentially reopen the adjacent Asinelli Tower to the public.
The adaptation process, slated to take around six months, involves erecting and customizing the steel pylon structures from Pisa to suit Garisenda’s needs. Following this, restoration work will commence, including masonry consolidation using lime-based mortar compatible with the tower’s original construction. Tightening cables connecting the pylons to scaffolding will subsequently alleviate stress at the tower’s base.
Despite its lesser renown compared to Pisa’s leaning tower, the Torre Garisenda holds historical significance and attracts tourists, even earning a mention in Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy.” Alongside its more prominently leaning counterpart, the Torre degli Asinelli, it forms an integral part of Bologna’s architectural landscape.
The parallels between the stabilization efforts for the Tower of Pisa and the current initiative in Bologna underscore Italy’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage. With hopes pinned on the success of this endeavor, the Torre Garisenda stands poised for a potential renaissance, thanks to modern engineering interventions reminiscent of those that saved its more famous counterpart.
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This is awesome, the structure is necessary and can also be used as a tourist center
The structure can be used for tourist center.
Nice one