Bologna, 29 March 2024 – They continue the consolidation works for the Garisendawhich will be supported by the same ‘super winches’ that had shored up the Tower of Pisa on the occasion of the restoration of the monument in Piazza dei Miracoli, twenty-five years ago. At the same time, however, it also continues (and for several months now). the isolation of some city streetscaused by construction sites: lo bus stop in via San Vitale and the Narrow pedestrian passage they have significantly reduced traffic in the area surrounding the Two Towers and the first to suffer are the traders.
The Garisenda and Asinelli Towers surrounded by the construction site to ‘take care of’ the former
“The situation, since when via San Vitale was closed, it has changed a lot. The road is neglected and in my opinion more dangerous than before. We always close around 7.30-8pm in the evening and when it gets dark the atmosphere is not safe”, he says Vincentof the Machete Barber Shop. And he adds: “In addition to this, I have also lost some customers (fortunately not many) because there is no longer a bus that stops in front: for those arriving from areas of Mazzini or Massarenti It was very convenient, but now it’s certainly more difficult to reach us.”
There are also those who opened their own businesses following the closure of the area: Mo Mortadella Laba sandwich shop already well known and loved by tourists and not just for the other point of sale in via de’ Monarihas recently opened a branch a few steps from the Garisenda construction sites: “We had taken the place in June, before the problems at the Tower were discovered. If we had known, we would never have opted for this area of the city. It was a point sale that we had chosen for continuous influx of people, with Piazza di Porta Ravegnana which was a meeting point for tourists, but now all this has disappeared. Indeed, I believe that a visitor, seeing the construction site and the practically closed passage, thinks ‘but what am I going to do down that street?’. Luckily, thanks to the other exercise our most loyal customers have followed usbut there is certainly not the turnout that we are used to and that we hoped to have” says Rosa, one of the partners of Mo Mortadella Lab.
Not everybody but they found such a radical change: “I cannot speak of a collapse in inflows, they have decreased to a minimum, yes, but in general I have customers. The only note I feel like making is that it is not clear whether the stretch of via San Vitale near the Towers whether pedestrian or not: there are often vans parked or other vehicles passing by, perhaps if it were completely pedestrian it would be better” comments Ramona from Bar Arisbar. Not only San Vitale, but also Major Road was influenced by the closure of the area: “My takings for the month of March this year are almost half of those of March 2023: this area is dead, before it was full of people, there was always a queue in front of the Asinelli Tower. Now, being closed, the turnout has dropped, and so have my earnings” concludes Antonio, the owner of the Mattarello Bolognese sandwich shop.
