Leaning Tower of Pisa

While there are many fascinating things to do and see while in Italy, one that continues to capture our imagination and interest is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. As the bell tower for the Cathedral in Pisa, the tower’s construction began in 1173. However, shortly after the building began, the tower started to lean due to soft ground. The actual construction of the tower did not end until 1360 but since that time, numerous attempts have been made to straighten and secure the lean.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is famous for something other than its famous lean. This location is also, where Galileo conducted free fall physics experiments. Legend tells us that Galileo dropped a cannon ball and a wooden ball from the top of the tower at the same time to see if they fell at the same rate. As you can imagine, the cannon ball hit the ground much quicker.

Located in the city of Pisa in Italy, you can visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa by visiting Piazza dei Miracoli, which is located next to the cathedral. When the tower was first built, it was straight, but over the years, it has continually and gradually, continued to lean. In fact, the tower was closed off to the public in 1988 in yet another attempt to stop it from falling over. When it reopened in 2001, the lean was still there but today on certain dates, you can climb up the 300 plus stairs to the top.

Keep in mind that guided tours are very affordable and the trip worth it. However, it takes about 40 minutes to complete the tour and the climbing is very, physically challenging as each person makes his or her way up the winding, narrow staircase. The official name is “Torre Pendente Di Pisa”. While the construction started in 1173 as mentioned, due to the War with Firenze, it was stopped just five years later. It was during that same year that the architects realized the third floor was leaning, the tower being 35 feet tall at that point.

Construction started up again but then in 1185, it was stopped again because of the war. Starting up yet again in 1284, the lean continued. The seventh floor was finally completed in 1319 and the overall tower in 1350. Interestingly, when cement was injected into the base of the tower in 1934, it actually accelerated the lean. Today, the tower stands 185 feet and in 1198, the first bell tower was added with a total of seven existing today, each tuned to the musical scale. The largest bell in the Leaning Tower of Pisa called L’Assunta was cast in 1655, weighing three and a half tons and the oldest bell is called Pasquarreccia.

At the base of the tower, the walls are eight feet thick. Since its reopening in 1989, more than 700,000 people have climbed the famous steps. The tower continues to move about 1/20 of an inch each year, making it an interesting sight. Each year, people visiting Italy flock to this remarkable site. Some visit because of the tower’s incredible history, some because of the current lean, and others because no one knows how long the tower will remain standing. Since the tower continues to worsen, experts are constantly looking for new ways of salvaging this historical tower!


Last Updated: 10/19/2006 3:14:00 PM

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