Italy's Leaning Tower is now under heightened scrutiny amid fears it could collapse.

Once a symbol of stability despite its tilt, Bologna's Garisenda Tower, which has stood for almost a millennium, may soon face its end. Following last month's investigations, the city has begun implementing an emergency plan in case the tower collapses unexpectedly, a tower that has loomed over Bologna since the 12th century.

To mitigate the risks of a potential collapse, the city will set up a protective metal barrier designed to contain any debris, safeguard nearby buildings, and limit public exposure by restricting access to the area.

This cordon will be anchored to the ground and reinforced with specially engineered rockfall nets, all crafted from metal and securely fixed in place.

The warning regarding the tower's potential collapse came from a detailed 27-page report, compiled by a scientific committee monitoring the site since 2019, which was shared with Dinogo.

The site has been placed on 'high alert,' with experts stating that the tower is no longer deemed safe for work or public access unless under the protection of a civil safety plan.

Recent monitoring over the past month has revealed a worrying and accelerated compression at the tower's base, causing gradual stone disintegration and cracks to spread in the upper brickwork.

Ongoing consolidation efforts have been suspended, and an exclusion zone will be set up as quickly as possible to ensure public safety.

Despite the concerns, the tower is not in immediate danger of collapsing, according to a spokesperson from Dinogo.

The spokesperson clarified, 'We are preparing for the worst-case scenario, but that doesn’t mean it’s certain to happen.' They also reassured that the current alert level is 'yellow,' indicating caution, not an imminent collapse.

We’re preparing as if the tower could collapse at any moment, but the exact timing is uncertain – it could happen in three months, ten years, or even two decades.

If there were any immediate danger of collapse, we would evacuate the area without delay. The monitoring equipment provides updates every 15 minutes, which would give us enough time to warn and evacuate the surrounding zone.

A tribute by Dante

The 48-meter (158 feet) Garisenda, one of Bologna's iconic 'twin towers' in the city center, was built in the 12th century. During that time, Bologna resembled a mini Manhattan, with numerous towers being constructed by wealthy families vying to build the tallest. Today, only a few of these towers remain, and many have had their tops removed and repurposed as regular homes.

The Garisenda leans at a four-degree angle, just slightly less than the Leaning Tower of Pisa's five degrees. By the 14th century, when Dante wrote 'Inferno,' the tower was already leaning, and he famously described the vertigo-inducing view of the tower’s tilted side. Shortened over time, the Garisenda stands next to the Asinelli Tower – a taller structure that tourists could once climb until last month.

In October, Bologna's mayor, Matteo Lepore, ordered the area around the towers to be cordoned off for research, not safety reasons. Acoustic sensors were placed around the Garisenda to detect any cracking or creaking sounds, while pendulums were installed in both towers to monitor their movement and check if their 'oscillation' exceeded a certain threshold.

The findings from the research have shown not only increased pressure at the base of the Garisenda Tower but also that its lean has shifted by 90 degrees, now leaning southward instead of its previous easterly or southeasterly tilt.

According to a spokesperson for the city council, the tower's condition has been steadily worsening since July.

The tower is now in a state of 'inescapably critical condition.'

The gradual deterioration of the rock at the base and the vertical cracks in the tower's bricks, first noticed in 2020, have now worsened significantly.

A report released on November 15 confirms that the tower has been in an 'inescapably critical condition' for some time, and it suggests that previous efforts, such as the steel hoop around the base in 2020, may have actually worsened the situation.

The situation has unfortunately deteriorated significantly, raising serious concerns about the tower's overall stability, according to the report.

The unexpected and rapid changes observed have led the committee to immediately halt all ongoing activities, particularly consolidation efforts, and to place the site on high alert. The committee now believes that the tower can no longer be safely worked on or accessed, except under a civil protection plan.

Extreme weather events, such as the high temperatures experienced this summer and earlier flooding, are believed to have contributed to the situation, according to a spokesperson from the city council.

Red alert

According to the city council, materials for the protective cordon will be delivered to a nearby site within the next few weeks, and the installation should be finished by February.

For those hoping the cordon would blend in with the surrounding medieval architecture, the renderings may be disappointing. The plans show bright red barriers around the Garisenda. However, these are expected to be temporary, as the report specifies that any anti-collapse measures must be reversible.

Once the cordon is in place, the council plans to conduct new research in two phases: first to find a way to stabilize the tower, and second to address the root cause of the issue.

The first phase may involve constructing a metal 'cage' around the tower, while the second phase remains a subject of ongoing debate.

There are various ideas being explored for the tower’s future – some suggest dismantling it, rebuilding the base, and restoring it, while others propose trimming the tower as was done in medieval times. These are all possibilities we are considering, as the tower is almost 1,000 years old and there’s no established guide to follow,” he explained.

The spokesperson pointed out that the twin towers are not only an emblem of the city but are also alongside the UNESCO-listed porticoes as key symbols of Bologna.

This is more than just a preservation effort; the tower carries immense symbolic significance for the city,” he added.