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Second leaning tower in danger of collapse, Bolonga, 2 December 2023

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A medieval tower in the Italian city of Bologna that leans by as much as its famous counterpart in Pisa has been sealed off over fears it may collapse.

Authorities have begun constructing a 5m (16ft) high barrier around the 12th Century Garisenda Tower to contain debris in the event that it falls.

The 47m (154ft) tower tilts at a four-degree angle, and monitoring has found shifts in the direction of the tilt.

The city council said the situation was "highly critical".

The Garisenda Tower is the smaller of two towers that dominate the skyline of Bologna. The other, the Asinelli Tower, is around twice the height and also leans, though not so dramatically, and is usually open for tourists to climb.

The structures were built between 1109 and 1119, though the height of the Garisenda was reduced in the 14th Century because it had already begun to lean. The tower is mentioned in Dante's poem The Divine Comedy, which was completed in 1321.

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Second leaning tower in danger of collapse, Bolonga, 2 December 2023
A medieval tower in the Italian city of Bologna that leans by as much as its famous counterpart in Pisa has been sealed off over fears it may collapse.<br /> <br /> Authorities have begun constructing a 5m (16ft) high barrier around the 12th Century Garisenda Tower to contain debris in the event that it falls.<br /> <br /> The 47m (154ft) tower tilts at a four-degree angle, and monitoring has found shifts in the direction of the tilt.<br /> <br /> The city council said the situation was "highly critical".<br /> <br /> The Garisenda Tower is the smaller of two towers that dominate the skyline of Bologna. The other, the Asinelli Tower, is around twice the height and also leans, though not so dramatically, and is usually open for tourists to climb.<br /> <br /> The structures were built between 1109 and 1119, though the height of the Garisenda was reduced in the 14th Century because it had already begun to lean. The tower is mentioned in Dante's poem The Divine Comedy, which was completed in 1321.