During the pandemic, doing jigsaw puzzles became a form of meditation for me (and thousands of others) and I’m still doing them four years later. Puzzles have come a long way from the dusty old landscapes and cat illustrations you may still have on your basement shelf; dozens of new brands (many of them women-owned) have popped up and they’re creating beautiful, unique, statement-making works of art that are fun to do and worthy of framing.
Italian City Launches New ‘Save The Towers’ Campaign
22.12.2023 - 13:42 / forbes.com
Efforts are underway to save an important part of Italy’s heritage.
With support from both the corporate and private sectors, the municipality of Bologna has launched a crowdfunding effort with an online funding campaign to save its two towers.
Cities are often defined, at least in part, by their landmarks. New York City has the Empire State Building; Paris, the Eiffel Tower; London, Big Ben; and Pisa the Leaning Tower.
Bologna has two impressive medieval towers, Asinelli and Garisenda, both built during the 12th century.
Like other famous landmarks, the Asinelli and Garisenda towers are so iconic that they have become symbols of Bologna, the capital city of Italy’s Emilia Romagna region.
Both towers sit on Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, a busy, central square that also houses the statue of San Petronio, the patron saint of the city.
Experts warn that the famous towers are in need of immediate preservation and restoration to survive.
Built between 1109 and 1119 by the family after which it is named, the Asinelli Tower is the larger of the two. At 319 feet, it is the tallest leaning medieval tower in the world. The height of the 186-foot-tall Leaning Tower of Pisa pales in comparison.
The tower was originally 230 feet, high enough to confer great prestige to the family who built it. After ownership of the tower moved to the municipal government during the 14th century, its height was extended so it could be used as a prison and beacon to communicate with the surrounding countryside.
Asinelli is the most famous of the 22 towers that still remain in Bologna, and has survived fires, lightning hits, and the pillage of bombings during World War II.
Until its recent closure, visitors who ascended the 498 stairs to reach the terrace at its top were rewarded with panoramic city views.
Built at approximately the same time as its big sister, the more diminutive Garisenda tower is 157 feet tall, almost half the size.
But it is distinguished by its steep four-degree incline, caused by the land beneath it beginning to sink soon after its construction. (The Leaning Tower of Pisa has a tilt of 3.97 degrees).
In October 2023, CNN reported that the base of the Garisenda tower was disintegrating and that the streets surrounding the two towers had been cordoned off as a safety precaution.
After a comprehensive study by a scientific committee that has been monitoring the towers since 2019, the site was put on “high alert.” The scientists’ concerns centered around cracks at the base.
On December 20, Bologna launched a dedicated website (in both Italian and English) asking for donations to restore and improve the safety of the Garisenda tower, and to maintain and take care of the Asinelli.
At a press conference reported by
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