The smaller of the ‘Two Towers’, a symbol of the northern Italian city of Bologna and a famous landmark that appeared in Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’, was closed over the weekend due to the risk of collapse. [사진출처 = 연합뉴스]
The smaller of the “Two Towers,” a symbol of the northern Italian city of Bologna and a famous landmark that appeared in Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” was closed over the weekend due to the risk of collapse.
Deputy Culture Minister Luca Borgonzoni told local daily Quartidiano Nazionale on the 23rd (local time) that abnormal shaking was detected by sensors recently installed on the Garisenda Tower, leading to the closure.
Built between 1109 and 1119, the Garisenda Tower is 48 meters high and, together with the 97 meter Asinelli Tower next to it, is called the Two Towers and serves as a symbol and landmark of Bologna.
Medieval noble families in Bologna competed in building towers to show off their power. Of the 75 towers built at the time, only about 20 remain, and among them, the two towers, also known as the ‘twin towers’, are the most famous.
The Garisenda Tower in question is tilted about 4 degrees from its central axis. Because it was built on weak ground without proper foundation work, the ground was unable to withstand the weight of the tower and tilted. The Leaning Tower of Pisa (5 degrees), the world’s most tilted tower, has a similar tilted background.
The tower began to lean soon after its construction, and in 1350, the top 10 meters were demolished due to concerns that it would collapse.
Recently, as Garisenda Tower was observed to be slightly tilted, rescue experts began assessing its safety. As a result, when crack signals that could signal collapse were detected, Bologna city authorities closed the tower and the surrounding area, blocking access to citizens.
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2023-10-23 22:41:56
