These are Asinelli and Garisenda Towers, the landmark of Bologna. There about 20 towers in the city but the number used to be much more higher. Between the 12th and the 13th century, the number of towers in the city was possibly up to 180. However throughtout the centuries many towers were taken down or demolished, and others simply collapsed.
The two towers Garisenda and Asinelli are the traditional symbol of Bologna, strategically standing where the old Aemilian way entered the town. Today they stand right in the middle of Porta Ravegnana square, but this does not correspond to their original layout, which included wooden buildings all around their base and hanging passageways.
Made in masonry work, as very few other buildings at that time, they had very important military functions (signalling and defence), beside representing with their imposing heights the social prestige of the noble families that owned them.
Quite recently, the statue of San Petronio made by Gabriele Brunelli in 1670, has been placed back under the towers, after being removed in 1871 for "traffic reasons".
Quite recently, the statue of San Petronio made by Gabriele Brunelli in 1670, has been placed back under the towers, after being removed in 1871 for "traffic reasons".
The Asinelli Tower was built between 1109 - 19 by the Asinelli family, and in the following century it was acquired by the Municipality of Bologna. It is 97.20 metres high with a drop of 2.23 metres and an inner staircase of 498 steps completed in 1684.
The Garisenda Tower, built around the same period , is much smaller (47 metres) with a steeper drop (3.22 m) due to an early and more marked subsidence of soil and foundation. - in: http://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/home/discover/places/architecture-and-monuments/towers/le-due-torri-garisenda-e-degli-asinelli/
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