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Asinelli Tower
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
poi · IT

Asinelli Tower

Getting around: Stands at Piazza di Porta Ravegnana in central Bologna, an easy 5-10 minute walk from Piazza Maggiore. Reachable on foot from anywhere in the historic center.
Hours: Typically open daily 9:30am-6:30pm (shorter hours in winter). Timed-entry tickets are required and cap the number of people on the stairs at once; book online in advance, especially for weekends.

At just under 98 meters, the Asinelli Tower is the tallest of Bologna's surviving medieval towers and one of the best-preserved of the dozens that once gave the city its skyline. Climbing the roughly 500 wooden steps leads to an open-air platform with a panoramic view over Bologna's terracotta rooftops and the surrounding hills.

Its leaning neighbor, the shorter Garisenda Tower, stands right beside it and can no longer be climbed due to structural concerns, so the Asinelli is now the only one of the pair open to visitors.

The climb is steep and has no elevator, so it's a genuine workout rather than a quick photo stop, but it's widely considered one of the best views in the city.

Asinelli Tower FAQs

How many steps are there to the top?

498 wooden steps, with no elevator, so expect 20-30 minutes of steady climbing.

Do I need to book tickets in advance?

Yes, entry is timed and limited due to structural weight restrictions, so booking online ahead of your visit is strongly recommended.

Can children or people with mobility issues climb it?

The narrow wooden staircase isn't suitable for strollers, wheelchairs, or anyone with significant mobility limitations; young children can climb but it's a long, tiring ascent.

Why can't I climb the Garisenda Tower next to it?

The Garisenda has a more pronounced lean and structural concerns led authorities to close it to climbers; only the Asinelli remains open.

Is the view worth the climb?

Most visitors say yes: it's a 360-degree panorama over Bologna's red rooftops, one of the only elevated views in the flat historic center.

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