The tottering of one of Bologna's
famed twin towers has got "sadly significantly worse" since it
was cordoned off for an urgent stability check-up last month, a
new technical-scientific committee told Mayor Matteo Lepore
Wednesday evening.
Lepore said the situation is currently "yellow alert" and the
Garisenda Tower is "not at imminent risk of collapse".
The 48m Garisenda, which stands alongside the 97m Torre degli
Asinelli in the ancient heart of Bologna, is in a worrying state
of stability, Culture Undersecretary Lucia Borgonzoni said on
October 23.
Borgonzoni said measures would now be taken to shore up the
tower and make it safer.
She said some five million euros were available from Italy's
massive post-COVID EU-funded National Recovery and Resilience
Plan (NRRP) for the purpose.
The Garisenda, like the Torre degli Asineli, has gone down in
local and national lire and was even mentioned by Dante.
The two towers are survivors of the countless ones that medieval
Bologna boasted as wealthy families vied for bragging rights
about who had the tallest one.
Lepore said last month he was ready to "take all the initiatives
that will be necessary to ensure the security of the citizens
and the Garisenda".
He announced the setting up of a task force to monitor the
stability of the 12th century building.
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