leaning tower of pizza tourist attractions in pisa italy

The tower has a height of 57 meters (58.36 meters, considering the foundation) and a mass of 14,453 tons. In the last decades of the 20th century, the inclination of the tower increased, so much that the danger of collapse become imminent.ĭuring the consolidation works, started in 1990 and finished at the end of 2001, the tilt of the bell-tower was reduced by removing 38 cubic meters of soil from underneath the raised end and adding lead counterweights of about 900 tons.įurthermore, the base was consolidated so that, according to the experts, it will allow the tower to be stable for at least another three centuries.ĪRCHITECTURE OF THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA The bell-tower was completed in the middle of the 14th century, with the addition of the belfry.ĭuring the 19th century, the bell-tower was restored under the direction of Alessandro Gherardesca.

In an attempt to straighten the tower, the three new floors tend to curve in the opposite direction of the tilt. The works were resumed in 1275 under the guidance of Giovanni di Simone and Giovanni Pisano, who added another three floors to the previous structure. The softness of the soil, made up of soft clay, is the cause of the tower’s tilt and, although to a lesser extent, of all the buildings in the square. The first phase of the works was interrupted in the middle of the third floor, due to the subsidence of the land on which the bell-tower was built. Some recent studies attribute the project to the Pisan architect Diotisalvi, who at the time was also building the Baptistery of San Giovanni. The construction of the Pisa tower began on August 9, 1173. SHORT HISTORY OF THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA TIP: If you want to visit the tower without spending your precious time in the waiting line (which, by the way, is always there), buy your skip-the-line ticket in advance, to ensure you have a fast track access. The tilt was caused by an inadequate foundation on a ground too soft to properly support the structure’s weight. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, one of the most recognizable symbols of Italy, is famous around the world due to its unintended tilt. The tower is actually the bell-tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, located nearby. The Leaning Tower of Pisa ( Torre Pendente) is a tower located in the famous Piazza dei Miracoli, in Pisa.

Leaning tower of pizza tourist attractions in pisa italy