Garisenda Tower, a historic landmark and tourist spot located in the city of Bologna in Italy, has raised some concerns.
The location attracts a significant number of visitors from all over the globe each year, and believes a potential collapse could be imminent if the right steps are not taken.
The tower was initially built in the 12th century and is currently closed to visitors, both local and international.
It is also surrounded by a barrier of 2.6 meters in thickness, as the relevant authorities are fearful of its potential tumble.
Towers
Garisenda and Asinelli Towers are often referred to as the Two Towers of Bologna and are among some of the most famous locations throughout the city.
The tower of Garisenda tilts a little to a four-degree angle. However, recent studies have revealed that there has been a change in the direction in which it is leaning.
Consequently, the council of Bolognia has described this situation as significant and concerning and decided to stop visitors from entering the general area of this tower.
In the words of the municipality, the cordon and evacuation are only the initial steps that have been taken to ensure the safety of the structure.
Meanwhile, the tower, along with the plaza located beneath it, is likely to remain shut down for the upcoming years.
During these couple of years, the relevant authorities will ensure that the foundations of the building are strengthened and can accept visitors once again.
History
The Garisenda Tower was built somewhere between 1109 and 1119. As per the government, it will be an extraordinary challenge to preserve the tower and prevent it from falling down.
It went on to say that it will also require a certain degree of commitment from the entire city and from people throughout the globe who appreciate the beauty of the tower, as well as the city of Bologna.
The city further announced that it would be devoting a budget of €4.3 million in order to shore up the tower.
According to the Mayor of Bologna, Matteo Lepore, this issue has existed ever since the tower was built and has been an ongoing concern over the past couple of centuries.
He believes that this was a situation inherited by the city due to the people in the city who caused this illness in the first place.
For this reason, the Mayor has requested the relevant authorities of the government to create a petition and turn the towers into a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Collapse
The tower of Garisenda is popular with tourists and has been recognized in various instances. For example, it was mentioned various times in Divine Comedy Le Rime by Dante Alighieri. Charles Dickens also mentioned the tower when he wrote his book, Pictures From Italy.
But while the city seems to be in a state of panic over the collapse of the tower, a spokesperson believes that there is no immediate danger.
In their words, the government officials are acting as if the world is coming to an end, but that is not the case.
They went on to add that there is no red alert on the tower, which could mean a collapse is imminent, but just a yellow alert.
