The iconic Leaning Tower in Italy has been closed off due to concerns over potential subsidence.

The medieval Garisenda Tower in Bologna, once admired by figures like Dante Alighieri and Charles Dickens, is once again in the spotlight due to fears of it sinking. Dante famously referenced the tower twice, in both his 'Divine Comedy' and a sonnet.

The streets surrounding Garisenda, one of the two iconic towers in Bologna’s center, have been cordoned off while experts monitor the structure for signs of cracking and movement.

Standing 48 meters (158 feet) tall, the Garisenda Tower was built in the 12th century during a time when Bologna’s skyline was dotted with towers constructed by rival families. Despite its age, the tower leans at an angle of four degrees, just slightly more upright than Pisa’s famous Leaning Tower, which tilts at five degrees. Dante’s 'Inferno' described the dizzying sensation of gazing up at Garisenda’s lean, a sentiment captured in a plaque at the tower today.

Though shortened over time, the Garisenda Tower now stands beside the taller Asinelli Tower in the heart of Bologna, a popular tourist spot that offers visitors the chance to climb its heights.

Matteo Lepore, the mayor of Bologna, announced the closure of the area around the towers after meeting with the city’s heritage superintendent and a team of scientists monitoring the towers since 2018. The goal is to conduct further monitoring and install additional sensors to gather conclusive data on the Garisenda’s condition, Lepore shared at a city council meeting on Monday, as reported by Dinogo.

To monitor the tower for any signs of structural stress, acoustic sensors have been placed around it to detect cracks or creaks, while a pendulum has been installed to track any movement.

Access to the Asinelli Tower has also been restricted, with plans to install a pendulum in this taller tower as well, to gather data on its stability.

The mayor explained that the decision to turn the area into a pedestrian zone isn’t driven by immediate safety concerns, but rather to allow for the accurate collection of data from the instruments monitoring the towers.

The tests will continue throughout the week to determine if the Garisenda Tower is doing anything more than simply ‘oscillating,’ as it has done for centuries. Lepore noted that all towers and skyscrapers experience some level of movement up to a certain threshold.

Lepore mentioned that the Garisenda Tower has been leaning for centuries and has undergone numerous repairs over the years.

A biannual report, originally scheduled for the end of November, will be accelerated, Lepore confirmed. The city council has already contracted a company, which previously worked on the collapsed Morandi Bridge in Genoa, to carry out necessary repairs. Additionally, a restoration committee will be established.

The surrounding roads will remain closed until Friday, with local media reporting that buses might never be allowed to pass by the towers again.

Referring to the Garisenda Tower as the 'symbol of our city' alongside the Asinelli Tower, Lepore assured the council, 'We are committed to preserving the Garisenda as a monument,' adding, 'We’re doing everything necessary to protect it.'

The restoration efforts follow concerns raised by Lucia Borgonzoni, an undersecretary from Italy’s Ministry of Culture and a member of the right-wing Northern League, who raised alarms about the tower’s safety. Borgonzoni, who has previously lost bids for mayor of Bologna and president of Emilia-Romagna, questioned the tower’s condition. Lepore, representing the center-left Democratic Party, has faced criticism from his political opponents, who accuse him of failing to safeguard the monument.

In an interview with the local paper 'Il Resto del Carlino' on Sunday, Borgonzoni expressed her worries about the recorded oscillations and suggested that the scientific committee monitoring the tower for the past five years might have 'underestimated the situation.'

On Monday, Lepore responded by saying he would 'avoid engaging in the political debate, not because I don’t wish to participate, but because I believe that critical decisions, including doing the right thing from an institutional standpoint, should be made calmly and with a clear conscience.'

The Ministry of Culture in Italy did not provide a comment in response to a request for feedback.

Meanwhile, life for the locals continues as usual.

'We’re not worried at all,' said Fabio Bergonzini, a tour guide in Bologna.

'We, the people of Bologna, have never seen it as a real issue,' he added.

'Safety is always a priority, and of course, investigations are necessary, but I honestly don’t think the tower is in danger of collapsing.'