San Petronio
Bologna, Italy
The Two Towers of Bologna
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Photo: Pecio bics, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free outside
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Outside: always; climb: check status
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Outside
- Free, 24 hours
- Asinelli climb
- Currently suspended
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Height
- Asinelli ≈ 97 m, Garisenda ≈ 48 m
- Steps
- 498, when the climb is open
- Time needed
- 20–45 minutes
- Location
- Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, 5 minutes from Piazza Maggiore
Key facts
1109–1119the Asinelli Tower was built
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English Wikipediac. 97 mAsinelli's height, Italy's tallest medieval tower
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English Wikipediac. 48 mheight of the leaning Garisenda
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English WikipediaDozensof towers stood in medieval Bologna; about twenty survive
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English WikipediaDantelikened Garisenda to a stooping giant in the Divine Comedy
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English WikipediaHistory of the Two Towers
In the 12th and 13th centuries Bologna was a city of towers: wealthy families built tall stone towers to show off rank and riches. There were many dozens, and about twenty survive. The most famous are Asinelli and Garisenda, side by side on Piazza di Porta Ravegnana and known together as the Two Towers.
Asinelli was built in 1109–1119 and stands almost 97 metres tall, the tallest medieval tower in Italy. Garisenda is lower, about 48 metres, and leans steeply; it was shortened back in the Middle Ages because the ground subsided. Dante compared it in the Divine Comedy to a giant bending over a traveller.
Climbing Asinelli
Normally you can climb the 498 wooden steps of the narrow stair inside Asinelli to a view of Bologna's red roofs, porticoes, the dome of San Petronio and the hills with the sanctuary of San Luca. The climb takes about 20 minutes and needs decent fitness.
Since 2023 the towers have been fenced off and the Asinelli climb suspended while the city stabilises the leaning Garisenda, work expected to take several years. Check the official Bologna tourism site before you go. If it's still closed, the San Petronio terrace offers a similar view of the city.
What to see at the towers
- Asinelli — Italy's tallest medieval tower.
- Garisenda — the leaning tower Dante wrote about.
- Piazza di Porta Ravegnana — the heart of medieval Bologna.
- Via Rizzoli porticoes — the covered arcades around them.
- Other towers — scattered across the old town.
- The view from the top — when the climb reopens.
A city of towers and porticoes
The main streets of old Bologna fan out from the towers, and nearly every pavement is sheltered by porticoes, arcaded covered walkways. The city has almost forty kilometres of them, now UNESCO-listed, making strolling easy in rain or heat.
Walk from the towers along Via Rizzoli to Piazza Maggiore, with San Petronio and the Fountain of Neptune, five minutes away. In the other direction, Via San Vitale leads into the university quarter of cafés and student life. Look out for other towers too, such as the Prendiparte tower, now a guesthouse.
Why the towers were built
Historians still debate why medieval families needed such tall towers. Probably for several reasons at once: a tower showed off a family's wealth and power, served as a lookout and a safe refuge, and adorned the city. They went up fast, with brick walls tapering towards the top on massive stone foundations.
Over time many towers were demolished, shortened or built into houses, and today you spot them only by looking up, when a square brick shaft suddenly rises above the rooftops. Walk the old town and count how many you can see; it's a good game for children too.
How to get to the Two Towers
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Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- San Petronio is about 5 min away on foot.
- Fountain of Neptune is about 5 min away on foot.
More tips
- From Piazza Maggiore, 5 minutes on foot along Via Rizzoli.
- From Bologna Centrale station, 20 minutes on foot or 10 by bus.
- From the airport, the Marconi Express monorail to the station, then a bus.
- The towers stand on Piazza di Porta Ravegnana.
Tips for your visit
The best photo spots are the start of Via San Vitale and Via Santo Stefano, where both towers appear in full and you can compare their lean. In the evening they're floodlit and the area is especially atmospheric.
If the climb is open, go on a weekday morning in good shoes: the steps are narrow and steep, with no handrail in places. Children and anyone uneasy with heights are better off admiring the towers from below.
Before you go
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Places in Bologna: compare and choose
Places in Bologna rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Towers of Bolognayou are here | 51 | 30 min | Free outside | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Petronio | 48 | 45 min | Free | 5 min walk |
| Fountain of Neptune | 45 | 20 min | Free | 5 min walk |
Central Bologna in half a day
The Two Towers, then Piazza Maggiore with San Petronio and the Fountain of Neptune.
- Towers of Bolognayou are here30 min · Free outside
- 5 min walk from the previous stopSan Petronio45 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopFountain of Neptune20 min · Free
3 places · about 1 h 43 min with walks · 8 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
Fountain of Neptune
Bologna, Italy
How to do it right
- Free to see from outside.
- The climb is closed for now; check.
- Photos from Via San Vitale.
- Piazza Maggiore is 5 minutes away.
Questions
Can you climb the Asinelli Tower?
The climb is currently suspended while neighbouring Garisenda is stabilised; check the Bologna Welcome site.
How tall are the Two Towers of Bologna?
Asinelli is about 97 metres, Garisenda about 48.
Why does Garisenda lean?
The ground subsided in the Middle Ages, when the tower was also shortened.
How many towers did Bologna have?
Many dozens in the Middle Ages; about twenty survive.
Where are the Two Towers?
On Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, five minutes from Piazza Maggiore.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
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Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Towers of Bologna
- Official tourism site, bolognawelcome.com
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