We associate skyscrapers with the modern era, typically thinking of Manhattan when considering a skyline full of tall buildings. But that same feeling could be found in the 13th century by any visitor to Bologna in Italy, where they would encounter a skyline of more than 100 tall buildings, each with more than 10 floors, which was a very unusual sight for any other city of the time.
While most of the towers were eventually destroyed, the tallest of them all, the Asinelli tower, still stands today, reaching an impressive height of almost 100 meters, equivalent to a modern 30-story building. It is currently leaning, with an inclination that surpasses the Pisa tower. Its height was so impressive that it wasn't until the 19th century that a taller tower was built in the US.
We don't know why so many towers were built there, but the Asinelli tower gives some clues. Its name comes from the family name Asinelli, who built the tower. Historians believe most of the towers were constructed as a show of power and wealth by the powerful families of the region. They also served as watchtowers, allowing families to spot enemies from afar during the typical feuds and conflicts between rival noble families.
It was likely the mimetic nature of the human condition that led to the concentration of towers in Bologna. Probably one family decided to create one, and it spread throughout the city as every family felt compelled to build one. It is interesting how the random distribution of human actions can lead to imitation patterns, resulting in the remarkable skyline that defined Bologna during the medieval era.
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