According to a recent incident, the Garisenda Tower in Bologna, Italy, known as the “Leaning Tower”, is now in danger of collapsing. The tower, which has managed to stand for almost 1000 years, is now in danger of collapsing due to over-ambition.
Standing 150 feet tall, the tower has been leaning at a 4-degree angle since the 14th century, although the authorities have tried to remove its top to stabilize the structure. To illustrate this point, the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa is tilted slightly more than five degrees.
Over the years, Italy has made great efforts to preserve the integrity of the tower. However, this excessive system has reached a critical point, prompting the local government to develop a national security plan to face the imminent danger of collapse.
According to reports, steel chains will be built around the tower to contain debris that can reduce and reduce the vulnerability of neighboring buildings if it collapses.
In this regard, the city hall published a press release explaining its plan: “A protective belt will be built to contain the rubble where it is possible to collapse, reduce the vulnerability of the surrounding buildings and the exposure of its inhabitants, and to prevent people. ‘access. to restricted areas.”
This precautionary measure follows the warning given by the scientific committee that has been monitoring the site since 2019. The committee installed sensors to track the tower’s movements, and alarm bells rang when readings from October 2023 showed cause for concern.
The commission’s “high alert” warning describes an “unpredictable and rapid pattern” of “crushing collapse” at the tower’s foundation. Also, he notes that cracks can be spread in the foundation stones, possibly affecting the bricks above.
The imminent threat to the Garisenda tower highlights the delicate balance between protecting historical monuments and managing the challenges that arise from their age and structural weakness. As soon as the report was published, the authorities made a decision to close the area around the tower and close all the roads leading to it.
