The city of Bologna announced a €4.3m project to save its famous, leaning Garisenda Tower, completed in 1119.
The 48m-high structure leans at 4 degrees, slightly more than the famous tower of Pisa. The Garisenda Tower is one of two medieval towers in downtown Bologna, the Asinelli Tower is 97 m.
The square the towers are located, the Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, is closed for the public. The plan is to build a metal containment structure around the leaning tower, two companies have been hired to do the work: Fagioli and Modena Engineering.
The city said Fagioli would build a protective belt around the tower to protect surrounding buildings and contain the debris from a possible collapse.
The city expects the most critical part of the containment structure to be finished by the end of February. The piazza will stay closed for several years until a permanent restoration of the tower can be completed.