You’re sure to have heard of this unusual leaning structure in the Tuscan city of Pisa! The leaning tower of Pisa began construction in 1173 and actually didn’t reach completion for over 800 years!
Stay in a fabulous vacation rental in Pisa where you can easily visit the Piazza dei Miracoli where the Leaning Tower stands among many other architectural masterpieces!
It was to be an architectural masterpiece with lavish carvings, columns and ornately designed floors and ceilings. Its original purpose was to be the bell tower of the adjacent cathedral in Piazza dei Miracoli.
Stay in a fabulous vacation rental in Pisa where you can easily visit the Piazza dei Miracoli where the Leaning Tower stands among many other architectural masterpieces!
It was to be an architectural masterpiece with lavish carvings, columns and ornately designed floors and ceilings. Its original purpose was to be the bell tower of the adjacent cathedral in Piazza dei Miracoli.
The trouble began with the foundations when the original architect, Bonanno Pisano didn’t take into account that the dense clay earth wouldn't be sturdy enough to support the huge weight of this tower of lime stone and marble!
Ironically, despite the lean that starting becoming visible five years into the build, it was the flexibility of the limestone that has prevented the building from cracking into pieces right up until the modern day.
Ironically, despite the lean that starting becoming visible five years into the build, it was the flexibility of the limestone that has prevented the building from cracking into pieces right up until the modern day.
For nearly one hundred years, construction stopped to allow the ground beneath the tower to settle and harden while architects planned how to complete the build. Four additional floors were added but because they were built crookedly, they actually worsened the lean!
The bell chamber was then added in 1372 and that was the end of additions to the leaning tower until the 19th century.
Several attempts were made to correct the lean but they actually just made it worse. Eventually in 1990 it was simply made safe just the way it was by reinforcing the ground surrounding it.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa stands at just under 59 metres tall and weighs nearly 15,000 tons! Come and see this unusual structure for yourself and have fun taking some comic photos standing beside it!
The bell chamber was then added in 1372 and that was the end of additions to the leaning tower until the 19th century.
Several attempts were made to correct the lean but they actually just made it worse. Eventually in 1990 it was simply made safe just the way it was by reinforcing the ground surrounding it.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa stands at just under 59 metres tall and weighs nearly 15,000 tons! Come and see this unusual structure for yourself and have fun taking some comic photos standing beside it!
Photo credits
picture 1: Saffron_Blaze / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Rolfg / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Themadchopper / CC BY 1.0
picture 1: Saffron_Blaze / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Rolfg / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Themadchopper / CC BY 1.0
