🌆 Bologna and its medieval “stone forest” 🌆 In the beating heart of the Middle Ages, Bologna was very different from how we know it today. Around the 12th century, the city had transformed into an incredible forest of towers: around 180 towers stood out in the sky of Bologna, creating a unique landscape, comparable to a forest of stone spires.
🏰 The Asinelli Tower, built between 1109 and 1119, is the tallest surviving tower: 97.2 meters high with a total of almost 500 wooden steps to climb. It bears the name of the family that had it built: the Asinelli, and still stands proudly against the passage of time. 📚 Next to it stands the lower but famous Garisenda Tower, tilted and made famous by Dante in his Divine Comedy. Together, these two towers are among the most iconic monuments ✨ From the top of the Asinelli Tower you can enjoy a breathtaking view that embraces the entire city: a journey through time that starts from the Middle Ages and reaches up to the present day. 🛡️ Today, these towers are more than architecture: they are silent witnesses of an era in which the skyline was sculpted by the ambition and pride of noble families. And every stone, every step, tells us a story of power, rivalry and dreams raised to the sky.
But why so many towers?
They were symbols of power, wealth and prestige, built by noble and wealthy families not only as defensive fortifications, but also to visually dominate the city. The more influential a family was, the higher its tower had to be, in an architectural race that made the urban profile a true vertical competition.
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