The Two Towers of Bologna
Le Due Torri, the Asinelli and the Garisenda, are what's left of medieval Bologna's skyline of stone towers, and the symbol of the city.
At the eastern end of Via Rizzoli, two brick towers lean toward each other above the traffic. They're the survivors of a forest of more than 100 tower-houses that competing families raised in the 12th and 13th centuries. Today they're Bologna's emblem, and you can climb the taller one.
- Asinelli height
- 97 m / 498 steps
- Garisenda
- 48 m · closed
- Tickets
- Advance booking only
- Time needed
- About 45 min
The Asinelli Tower, the one you climb
The taller tower, the Torre degli Asinelli, rises 97 metres and tilts about 2.2 metres off vertical. A narrow wooden staircase of 498 steps spirals up the inside to a viewing platform with the best panorama in Bologna: the terracotta rooftops of "la Rossa," the unfinished bulk of San Petronio, and on a clear day the Apennines.
The Garisenda, the leaning one (closed)
Its stumpy neighbour, the Garisenda, leans far more dramatically, so much that it was lowered in the 14th century and once unsettled the poet Dante, who name-checked it in the Inferno. It has never been open to climbers, and since 2023 the surrounding area has been fenced while engineers secure the structure. You can admire it, but not enter it.
Book ahead, this matters
Asinelli entry is by timed ticket, booked online in advance. Only a set number of people are allowed up each slot, and same-day tickets are rarely available in season. Buy through the official Bologna Welcome channel or as part of a guided tour.
How to get tickets
Tickets are released through the city's official tourism service and through tour operators who bundle the climb with a walking tour of the centre. If you're also visiting the Archiginnasio or planning the San Luca walk, a combined city tour can be better value than separate tickets.
Climb the Asinelli with skip-the-line access
Guided tours of Bologna's centro storico usually include a timed Asinelli slot, so you're not gambling on availability.
Check tower tours & ticketsWhat to know before you climb
- The staircase is steep, narrow and one-way in places, not ideal for anyone with serious mobility issues or claustrophobia.
- There's no lift. Allow 10–15 minutes up at a steady pace.
- Bags are restricted; travel light.
- Go at opening or late afternoon for the softest light over the rooftops.
Getting there
The towers stand at Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, a two-minute walk from Piazza Maggiore along Via Rizzoli. From them, Via Zamboni runs into the university quarter and Strada Maggiore heads toward Santo Stefano.