The nearly 1,000-year-old Leaning Tower of Garisenda in Bologna, Italy, is at risk of collapse, prompting authorities to seek solutions.
The Bologna city government is preparing for the possibility that the iconic Leaning Tower of Garisenda may collapse, according to CBS News on December 1. Garisenda, along with the neighboring Asinelli Tower, collectively known as the Two Towers, is one of the city’s iconic landmarks.
The Garisenda Tower (left) and the Asinelli Tower in Bologna, Italy. (Photo: AFP).
Built in the 12th century, the Garisenda Tower began to lean in the 14th century, and nearly 10 meters of its top was removed to help balance it. Currently, the 48-meter tower is leaning at an angle of 4 degrees, whereas the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa leans at 5 degrees. Over the years, local authorities have made numerous efforts to ensure the integrity of the tower.
In October, authorities decided to cordon off the area around Garisenda for public safety and to build a metal wall to protect nearby buildings in case the tower collapses.
A city spokesperson told The Times that experts have provided a new report warning that the tower is at high risk of collapse and that preparations must be made for all scenarios. In October, motion sensors measuring the movement of the old towers triggered alarms, forcing authorities to urgently close the area around Garisenda, with all surrounding routes temporarily blocked.
The authorities will construct a protective structure around the tower. (SCREENSHOT FROM CNN).
“We are preparing for the worst-case scenario, but no one knows when the tower will collapse. It could be in 3 months, 10 years, or 20 years. If there is an imminent risk of collapse, we will evacuate everyone,” a city council spokesperson told CNN. He mentioned that the monitoring equipment provides data every 15 minutes, allowing for evacuation time in emergencies.
The spokesperson stated that the protective fence will be completed before February 2024. After that, the government will consider solutions to stabilize the leaning tower before planning for a long-term solution.
The closure of the tower is estimated to cost 4.4 million euros, and stabilizing it will require several million euros more. The city council has set up an online fundraising page to seek donations of 3 million euros. In one week, 800,000 euros have already been raised.
