Picture this: Bologna, July, around 94°F. The asphalt is scorching, the air is perfectly still, and one strolls through the ancient city with its red rooftops, searching for the towers, the famous Due Torri. Two towers, the city's landmark, much like the Leaning Tower for Pisa, only here they come as a pair and feel somehow more solemn.
The two towers Asinelli and Garisenda
The towers are called Asinelli and Garisenda. For centuries they have stood side by side like an old couple that has seen it all: wars, lovers, student protests, and now endless construction work.
The Asinelli tower is the taller, more stoic of the two, almost like a silent guardian. It was built in the 12th century by the Asinelli family and has, remarkably, survived all those centuries. The Garisenda is smaller and noticeably tilted, like the rebellious little sisterwho simply refuses to stand up straight. Worth noting: Dante mentioned it in his "Divine Comedy." It clearly made a lasting impression on him.
In earlier times, Bologna had more than 100 such towers. Wealthy families built them as status symbols, much the way someone might buy a sports car today. The taller the tower, the more powerful the family. But time has toppled many of them. Only a few remain, and the Due Torriare now genuine architectural treasures of the medieval era.
Construction work, scaffolding, barriers, and building noise
This summer, however, brought a small disappointment: getting close to the towers was simply not possible. The entire square was cordoned off due to construction work, scaffolding, barriers, and building noise. It felt like standing in front of a museum undergoing renovation. Just to get a halfway decent photo, crossing to the other side of the street was necessary. Only from there could the towers be captured without fences in the frame.
The towers stood there, behind it all. Like a hidden secret one cannot quite grasp in the moment. And perhaps that is part of their charm as well. They do not merely recount history, they are history. Even when getting close is not permitted, they still make an impression. Somehow.
How to get to the towers
The two towers stand right in the heart of Bologna, at the intersection of Via Rizzoli and Strada Maggiore (more precisely, Piazza di Porta Ravegnana). Walking from Piazza Maggiore, simply follow Via Rizzoli heading north, and after about four to five minutes the towers come into view. From the main train station Bologna Centrale , the walk takes roughly 20 to 22 minutes along Via dell'Indipendenza into the old city. Alternatively, TPER bus lines (e.g., 25 or 27) cover the route to the center in around ten to thirteen minutes. Getting off at the "Rizzoli" stop puts visitors just a one-minute walk away (about 70 m). Depending on current construction activity, direct access around the towers may be restricted.