Bologna from Above, or (Almost) Death by Mist

February 26, 2017August 31, 2019 by Jessica In Bologna, Italy 3 Comments

The obvious option for getting a good look of Bologna from above is Torre Asinelli, a remnant of the (possibly?) 100 towers that dotted the city in medieval times. Torre Asinelli was built between 1109-1119 by the Asinelli family with a height of 97 meters; beside it stands Torre Garisenda, much smaller, measuring 47 meters in height. Both towers are leaning, but Torre Garisenda leans so much that it is closed to the public.

It takes a daunting total of 498 steps (yes, you read that right) to reach the summit of Torre Asinelli, and I decided to do this on a foggy morning.

Boy, that was a mistake.

The steps that lead up to the top of the tower are very narrow, and not very tall. This is standard, and on any normal day it wouldn’t present a problem. The issue at hand is the fact that it being foggy outside meant that humidity leaked into the building and all the handrails of all the stairs were covered with a thin layer of mist.

Not like I feared for my life as I went up in these conditions or anything.

The very last set of steps were almost a ladder, but it meant that I could stop climbing and be on (sort of?) solid ground.

I knew as I climbed these that climbing back down was going to be fun. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t wrong.

That view, though! Even through the fog, it was lovely. I can only imagine (or look up on the internet) how it looks on a clear day. So if you go to Bologna, climb Torre Asinelli. There are far less glamorous ways to die.