Torre degli Asinelli: Overall view

The Two Towers, both of them leaning, are the symbol of the city. They are located at the intersection of the roads that lead to the five gates of the old ring wall (mura dei torresotti). The taller one (97.5 m) is called the Asinelli while the smaller but more leaning tower is called the Garisenda (48 m). Their names derive from the families which are traditionally (but undocumented) credited for their construction between 1109 and 1119. In the early 14th century Bologna boasted more than 170 towers. The Torre degli Asinelli was joined to the contemporary Torre Garisenda in the mid-14th century, the two towers representing the city in frescoes and paintings from the 14th century to the 17th and present in modern logos. The Garisenda Tower was mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy.