The Asinelli tower

Bloody rivalry is still nowadays a quintessential element in the italian way of living, it is almost a sort of prerogative to show off according to italian culture.

Surely todays’ competition is more grounded on who owns the fastest car, the biggest shoes collection or the heaviest weight to pull during a squat session! Well, many centuries ago, italian ruling families brought competing game to a different new level.

Bologna, early middle-age, noble families are embroiled in endless fight for political power and supremacy in the city and so were the Garisenda and Asinelli, two noble families eager to impress the population and institutions for their wealth and ambitions.

The started building burgeoning towers around 1110 that later on, would have become examples of architectural magnificence and historic heritage Despite endless efforts.

The Garisenda family lost the bid to complete the highest tower, bid which was won by the Asinellis who elevated a tower at roughly 97 meters over the ground, giving to the city of Bologna a monument rather timeless and unique.

Do not get stressed, it’s only 498 steps to take and you will have the most incredible view ever of Bologna.

The Asinelli tower was very integrated in the city functions as it served as prison with many cells on the basement; it also become a clergy prison for members of clergy accountable for adultery.

The tower was the tallest of other 19 which were build more or less in the same age; none lasted apart from Asinelli an Garisenda.

This tower, however, holds a special place for the modern physics since a scientist known as Giovanni Battista Guglielmini performed studies over the falling bodies roughly 50 years before Foucault; the rotational movement of earth became clear and more defined thanks to his pioneering studies.

The tower allowed also many studies on electricity and thundering as it was the only tower to be hit at an astonishing rate. Early 900 the tower become less accessible to the public and many of the activities inside were gradually dismissed.

In the first decades of 900, the municipality of Bologna started appreciating its architectural and historical value so that the place was being opened to visitors from all over the world.

It is possible to visit the tower upon booking, bearing in mind that the most recent attempt to build an elevator goes back to 1880 and was never completed! Once you’ll finish the climb, we’ll take you around the city centre to taste the local cuisine in our Bologna gastronomic experience ?

Bologna Emilian gastronomic experience with a local