The oldest in the world University of Bologna was founded in 1088.

The Asinelli Tower built in 12th century is almost 100 metres high with and an inner staircase of almost 500steps completed in 17th c. The smaller, almost 50 metres, Garisenda Tower, built around the same period , has marked subsidence of soil and foundation. Dante, in his Inferno, compared it to a leaning Anteo in the 31st Canto.