Bologna seals off ‘leaning tower’ over fears it is tilting too far

Italian city’s mayor says square around 12th-century structure will shut for ‘a few years’ for repairs

The square surrounding Bologna’s medieval “leaning tower” is to be closed off for “a few years” amid concerns that the 12th-century structure is tilting a little too precariously.

The Italian city’s mayor, Matteo Lepore, said the closure of Piazza di Porta Ravegnana was necessary in order to “save” the Garisenda tower. “We’re not intervening because we think it could collapse at any moment,, we’re intervening because we want to make it safe and restore it,” he said.