The Garisenda is the faithful companion of the Asinelli tower and has been close to it since they were erected. The lower of the two towers is almost 48 meters high and is characterized by a steep slope that made it unusable for military purposes.
The Garisenda in a nutshell
Furthermore, in the fourteenth century the slope of the Garisenda forced a structural intervention that saw it shorten by almost 20 meters.
In the 15th century, the Garisenda was purchased by the Arte dei Drappieri who made it a commercial site. It remained their property until the 19th century when it was donated to the municipality.
Per il suo aspetto “Chinato” la citò nella Divina Commedia paragonandola ad Anteo.
For its bowed “Chinato” aspect Dante Alighieri mentions it in the Divine Comedy comparing it to Antaeus.
Dante mentions the Garisenda in the Divine Comedy
"What seems to concern the Garisenda under the chinato when a cloud goes over it so that it hangs on the contrary, so it seemed Antaeus to me, who was careful to see it bend down ..."
