The city of Pisa is known all over the world primarily thanks to its campanile (bell tower), nicknamed the Falling or Leaning tower of pisa... It is part of the architectural ensemble "Square of Miracles", which consists of the cathedral, the baptismal and the Campo Santo cemetery.

Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy) - the falling symbol of Pisa

For more than 800 years, the Leaning Bell Tower of Pisa has been strongly tilted to the side, creating the illusion of an imminent fall. The construction of the tower, begun in 1173, took almost 200 years (including long breaks due to wars) and ended in 1360.

The author of the project is unknown, but there is a version that the first architect was Bonanno Pisano, who built the first three floors of the tower. Previously, it was believed that the tilt of the tower was part of the architect's plan, but, according to modern scholars, the design of the tower was initially wrong. After the construction of the third colonnade ring (1178), the soft soil began to settle and erode, causing the disproportionately small 3-meter foundation to sink, and Leaning tower of pisa tilted dangerously.

The Leaning Tower is a wonderful example of the Romano-Pisa style. The cylindrical tower, built of stone and Carrara marble, impresses with its monumentality, elegance and feeling of the "fall effect". It has 8 floors, the last of which is occupied by an elegantly decorated belfry with bells. The columns of the first floor are crowned with classical capitals, and the 6 central tiers are framed by exquisitely beautiful marble arcades. At the entrance to the Leaning Tower of Pisa there are statues of mythical animals, and at the top there is a tympanum (a decorated field between the arch and its pillars) with the sculpture "Madonna and Child".

Where is the Leaning Tower of Pisa: a legend

For those who do not know, let us say that it is installed in the center of the "Plaza of Miracles" in Pisa (Italy).

A legend is associated with the construction of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It says that Master Pisano volunteered to build a campaign for the cathedral in Pisa. He erected a graceful openwork tower, which was as straight as an arrow. But the Catholic clergy refused to pay the architect to work. In annoyance, the architect waved his hand and ordered the bell tower: "Follow me!" And the tower obeyed: in the eyes of the surprised audience, she bent down and took the first step.

Leaning Tower of Pisa and Galileo

Some scientists are inclined to believe that Galileo Galilei studied gravity acting on different masses, precisely on the Leaning Tower of Pisa, throwing it from its core in the presence of other teachers of the University of Pisa. Similar experiments are described by Vincenzo Viviani, Galileo's biographer and his closest student. The student also reports that by observing the swinging of an icon lamp suspended on a long chain in the Pisa Cathedral, Galileo discovered the law of the constancy of the swing period of a pendulum.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa: Will It Stand?

The original architecture of the tower attracts close attention of tourists and scientists. 1994 - 2001 the fall of the bell tower was slowed down by lead ballasts-counterweights. The Italian authorities did not skimp on the restoration and spent $ 27 million, but despite numerous engineering and technical work, the Leaning Tower of Pisa continues to “fall”. A spiral staircase of 294 steps leads to the top of the campanile. Those who are not afraid that the 56-meter tower weighing 14 tons will collapse right under their feet can climb to the observation deck and enjoy the views of the city. Some tourists prefer to photograph the attraction from the outside, although there is no danger of falling. In 2004, at a cultural symposium in France, which is famous for its

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is perhaps one of the most famous and recognizable landmarks in the world and one of the symbols of Italy. By the way, it is not inferior in popularity to the Roman Colosseum itself.

Few people know that the tower is part of the entire architectural complex of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, located within the city of Pisa. In addition to the tower, the complex has the Cathedral, the Square of Miracles, a cemetery and a baptistery (a special room for performing the baptismal ceremony). But now we will focus only on the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In this ensemble, she was assigned the role of a bell tower, which she has successfully performed to this day.

The tower is located in the northwestern part of the "Italian boot" in the city of Pisa, 9.5 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast.

She received worldwide fame due to the fact that it has an inclination about the vertical axis. Therefore, it is also called the Falling Tower. Moreover, the tower has been falling for more than 800 years.

basic information

First, some statistics.
The maximum height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is 56 meters 67 centimeters. The building is a circular, hollow structure with a perimeter spiral staircase embedded between the outer and inner walls.

The diameter of the building at the base is 15.5 meters. The total weight of the tower is estimated at 14453 tons. According to scientists, 29,424 stone blocks were required for the construction. The thickness of the wall decreases with increasing height, and starts at 4.9 meters at the base and ends at 2.48 meters at the top.

You will remember that there is a staircase inside the wall that leads to the top of the tower. So, the width of the stairs also decreases towards the top, reaching only 40 cm at the end of the rise. And in order not to create a traffic jam of tourists going up and down, a special traffic light was installed. His responsibilities include adjusting human flows, therefore, a reverse movement is organized in the upper part (that is, one-way, periodically changing, up-and-down movement). Observe the rules for traffic inside the tower. All in all, you have to overcome 294 steps to get to the top of the tower.

Until the end of the 20th century, the slope of the tower was 5.5 degrees, but after the restoration work carried out from 1990 to 2001, the slope became 3.97 degrees. This means that the top of the tower is offset horizontally by 3.9 meters from the center.

Construction of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the reasons for the fall

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most famous long-term construction projects of the first half of the second millennium. It took almost 200 years to build. The construction took 199 years and took place in 3 stages.

The first began in August 1173.

It is worth noting here that the formal foundation of the building was laid at the beginning of January 1172. Then one famous widow bequeathed 60 soldo for the construction of the bell tower. The money was spent on the purchase of several stone blocks, which were placed in the base of the tower. If this year is considered the year of the beginning of construction, then the construction lasted exactly 200 years.

Already in 1178, during the construction of the second floor, the building gave a tilt. This is due to the fact that the project was initially made a mistake. Namely, only a 3-meter foundation on a weak and unstable ground. As a result, on one side of the tower, the base turned out to be softer and gradually sagged.

Since 1178, the construction was frozen for almost a hundred years, since at that time the Pisa Republic was actively at war with Florence, Lucca and Genoa, and there was neither time nor money left for the bell tower.

Despite the fact that the building had a slope, construction was resumed in 1272. The project was led by Giovanni di Simone. Instead of fundamentally correcting miscalculations at the beginning of construction, engineers and builders began to make subsequent levels with different ceiling heights. That is, on the side where the tower leaned, the ceiling was higher. As a result of such an architectural move, it turned out that the tower became slightly curved and vaguely similar to a banana. True, this did not work, the building continued its "fall".

In 1284, Genoa defeated Pisa. And again, construction stopped for several decades.
It is known that the 7th floor was built in 1319, and the upper part itself with the bell tower was completed in 1372 under the direction of Tommaso de Andrea Pisano.

The bell tower provides space for 7 bells, according to the number of notes. The largest bell was installed in 1655.

Leaning Tower of Pisa Conservation Ideas and Works

Since the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a significant tourist and architectural site (quite old age), it constantly requires maintenance and restoration. In particular, columns damaged by time and erosion are periodically replaced. Mandatory soil strengthening works are carried out, including underground and aboveground measures.

The underground work involved the gentle and surgical removal of soil from under the foundation in order to stabilize the tower.

Since the Leaning Tower of Pisa "falls" to the south, the above-ground work included the installation of massive lead blocks from its northern side as a counterbalance.

The vast majority of tourists, who are trying with all their might to hold the Leaning Tower of Pisa for the sake of a spectacular shot, are of great help in supporting the leaning tower. If you thought this was a joke, then you are right, but only partially. Not a single tourist has yet succeeded in holding the tower with the power of thought, but they provide financial support annually. The more tourists try to support the tower morally, the more it is supported financially, because visiting the attraction is paid. The cost is 18 euros per person.

It is worth taking care of buying tickets in advance, since the number of people wishing to get into the Leaning Tower of Pisa is quite large, and at the same time no more than 40 people are allowed inside.

For perfect photos, you should choose the views from the east and west sides of the tower (remember, the tower is tilted to the south).

It is not known when the Leaning Tower of Pisa will fall. Considering that it has been falling for more than one century and, according to scientists, it will stand for at least 200 more years, then you still have time to see it.

1. Some researchers speculate that the slope of the tower was deliberately incorporated into the design. But with a high degree of probability this is a delusion, and such hypotheses are not seriously considered.
2. It would seem that the Leaning Tower of Pisa should enter the Guinness Book of Records. But in June 2010, the Capital Gate building in Abu Dhabi took pride of place in the "Largest Man-Made Falling Tower" nomination. The slope of this structure is 18 degrees, which is almost 5 times more than that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But in this case, this bias was originally conceived in the project
3. The famous Stuart Landsboro Puzzle World near Wanaka, New Zealand has its own 53-degree Leaning Tower
4. In the USA, in the suburbs of Chicago, there is a water tower, made exactly like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, only half of its true size
5. The entire complex of buildings of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (including, of course, the Leaning Tower of Pisa) on December 30, 1986 was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List
6. In 2008, it was announced that the "fall" of the tower was stopped, but, apparently, the Tower itself did not hear this and continued to deviate from the vertical axis by about 1 millimeter per year.
7. There is a semi-legend about Galileo's experiments on the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It says that the famous scientist conducted experiments, throwing nuclei of different masses from the Falling Tower, in order to prove that the speed of falling does not depend on body weight. But reliable information about this has not survived.
8. During World War II, the Germans used the Leaning Tower of Pisa as an observation post. American intelligence officers learned about this and planned to conduct an artillery strike on the ground. But when they saw the beauty and uniqueness of the tower, they abandoned the idea of ​​shelling.

The most famous landmark of the city of Pisa is its Tower. It is known primarily for the fact that it does not stand strictly vertically, but obliquely from the main axis. After all, if it were not for this flaw, then it is unlikely that crowds of thousands of tourists would come every year to look at this, which has become a world, "falling" attraction.

Not everyone knows that the "falling" tower is not a separate structure, but a part of an architectural ensemble. In addition to the tower itself, which is actually a bell tower or campanella (from the Italian word campanella, What means bell), it includes (Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta), (Battistero di San Giovanni), (Campo Santo) and (Piazza dei Miracoli) on which it is located. The bell tower is located near the northeastern corner of the cathedral. And the whole ensemble is considered a world masterpiece of Italian architecture of the Middle Ages, which had a great influence on the development of culture in Italy.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been falling for eight centuries. Because of this, Italians themselves call it a "protracted miracle." The deviation increases by one millimeter every year. And the whole building deviated from the axis by more than five meters, which is not so little. But, no matter what, the Campanella survived even today is open to the public.

Since its construction, the Leaning Tower of Pisa has become practically a symbol of the city. Its construction began in August 1173, in the middle of a green meadow on the outskirts of Pisa, together with the city's cathedral and baptismal. Together with interruptions, the duration of the work was about two centuries. The bell tower was finally completed in 1370.

Who was the author of the original project is not known for certain. However, historical records suggest that it could be Bonanno Pisano ( Bonanno pisano ) ... Today, it is no longer possible to determine whether the curvature of the building was originally conceived or was formed as a result of subsidence of the soil. Although the second option looks more plausible. Most likely, the original project was already wrong in some way. The tower was originally planned to be vertical.

However, almost immediately after the construction of the first floor with a colonnade 11 meters high, the building began to tilt to the south. And at first it was only four centimeters. After that, construction work was suspended and resumed only 100 years later. In 1275, when the leaning tower of Pisa was already 50 centimeters, they tried to correct the situation. For this, during the erection of subsequent floors, a height increase of 10 centimeters was laid on the side of the bank. Unfortunately, this did not help much, and the construction of the bell tower had to be stopped ahead of schedule, having reduced it by four floors from the original project.

Architectural features

The Romano-Pisa style of the Leaning Tower of Pisa amazes everyone with its grace and beauty. The height of its eight tiers after the completion of construction was 58 meters 36 centimeters. In the highest part, the height is 56 meters 70 centimeters, and in the lowest - 55 meters 90 centimeters.

The diameter of the base of the bell tower, which has a cylindrical shape, is 15 meters 54 centimeters. The thickness of the outer walls at the base is 4 meters 90 centimeters, and at the top - 2 meters 48 centimeters. Its deviation from the vertical axis at the base level is 4 meters, and at the summit level - 5 meters 30 centimeters. 294 steps... And from there, tourists who have overcome the ascent have a beautiful view of the Field of Miracles and the immediate vicinity.

Bells

The very first was cast in the middle of the 13th century. Its note is G flat, and the name is Pasquereccia ( Pasquereccia). Second Tertz ( Terza) with the note B-sharp appeared in 1473. Little Vespruchio ( Vespruccio) with note mi was smelted in 1501. Crochifisso ( Crocifisso) with a note in C sharp was made by the master Vincenzo Posenti ( Vincenzo Posenti), and in 1818 it was melted down by Gualandi da Prato.

Dal Pozo ( Dal pozzo) - the note salt was made in 1606. It was destroyed during the bombing of the Second World War. After the war, it was restored and sent to the museum. And in its place in 2004 an exact copy appeared. Assunta ( Assunta) with the note si - the largest of the seven bells, appeared thanks to Giovanni Pietro Orlandi. San Ranieri was the last to replenish the belfry (note re-sharp). Moreover, it was repeatedly melted down. The last time it was in 1735.

Since the cathedral, to which the Pisa bell tower belongs, is active, before each Mass, as well as at noon, everyone can hear the ringing of these bells. It is interesting that in the Middle Ages the bells did not ring simultaneously, but each at its own specially established liturgical hour.

Tower rescue

After the construction of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was completed, the city authorities faced a new problem: how to prevent it from falling?

This issue became especially relevant after the hurricane that swept over Pisa and moved the tower by a fraction of a millimeter in just one day. For this, a special competition was even announced among scientists, architects and just ordinary citizens, to which ideas for saving the tower were accepted. The main condition for stopping the "fall" was the preservation of the slope of the structure. Indeed, by this time, the "protracted miracle" had become a symbol of Pisa and its main attraction. In response to the call, a lot of proposals were received, and what was not there.

For example, the construction of a sculpture of a would-be architect near the tower so that he can keep his unsuccessful creation. Or attach a huge balloon to the top of the bell tower, which would support the structure, preventing it from deflecting. In one of the options, it was proposed to run a tram around the tower, which, with its weight, would ram the soil so that the tower would not shrink further. A number of ideas boiled down to the construction of a similar one near the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but with an inclination in the opposite direction, so that they would support each other.

The strangest and most curious projects, of course, were abandoned. Leaving only those proposals that were based on scientific achievements. At the end of the 20th century, the incredible efforts of scientists yielded results. The soil under the south side of the base was found to be much softer than on the north. With the help of additional steel cables protecting the structure from falling, part of the soil from under the northern base was very carefully and painstakingly selected. As a result of the settlement of the tower after the preparatory work on the north side, the slope was reduced by about 50 centimeters, rejuvenating the tower for a couple of hundred years. After that, the cables, counterweights and supports were removed. Today the pride of Pisa is practically in a stable state.

Working hours

Due to the threat of destruction, visits to the Campanella were banned in 1990. The reopening took place in December 2001.

Today the Leaning Tower of Pisa is ready to receive tourists all year round.

• April-September: from 8-30 to 20-30.
• October-March: from 9-00 to 17-00.

There are separate night visits from 14 June to 15 September. From the moment of closing until 23-00. This initiative was introduced to allow tourists to enjoy the view from the Leaning Tower of Pisa at sunset. At this time, the city is illuminated by a thousand lights and appears in a completely different image.

Leaning Tower of Pisa official website: www.opapisa.it/it/la-piazza-dei-miracoli/torre-pendente/larchitettura.html

How to get inside - ticket prices

Due to the fact that tens of millions of euros were spent on attempts to save the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the cost of visiting this attraction is also rather big. Today it is 18 euros and, according to forecasts, can only increase. Having decided to visit inside, do not forget that no more than 30-40 people can be there at the same time.

Despite the considerable cost, it is still worth taking care of the tickets in advance. Excursions are most often already scheduled for the day ahead. And arriving at the tower early in the morning, you will, at best, have the opportunity to take a ticket for the evening. In the summer, the situation only gets more complicated.

Inside tower

It is worth arriving at the starting point of the Leaning Tower of Pisa excursion in advance. This is due to the fact that you will have to (necessarily) turn in all your belongings to the storage room (it is located in the next building). You can only take a photo or video camera with you. And women's handbags (including the smallest ones) are strictly prohibited.

Perhaps this was done so that visitors to the tower did not have the desire to put themselves in Galileo's place and throw something off the top.

Going inside, you can see that the foot of the stairs is wide enough. It rises up the inner circumference of the tower. Despite the fairly comfortable steps, many people experience dizziness over time. All the time you want to grab the walls on both sides so as not to fall. The steps are made of natural marble. However, since this material is mainly used for decorative purposes, it could not withstand the pressure of millions of visitors, and in some places it has severe wear. The width of the stairs decreases with each step. On the last tier, it is about 40 centimeters altogether.

The tower is hollow inside and the staircase winds around it in a spiral. There are observation windows along the inner wall, allowing you to look into this frightening void. After the fifth tier, it is allowed to go to the outer viewing platforms. For safety and security, they are tightened with mesh and fences. Some remain in the belfry (penultimate tier) and do not rise to the very top. But in vain. Because those who overcome the last test are simply breathtaking from the opening view. There is no mesh, and the height of the fence is only to the waist. Nothing prevents you from enjoying the view. From above, the cross of the cathedral is visible at a glance. And only at the very top you can realize how uneven the surface under your feet is.

After the pleasure you have received, it is worth taking a deep breath and getting ready for the last test - the descent down. On each tier there are special people who regulate one-way traffic. That is, the movement alternately goes either up or down. Descending is more difficult. Abraded marble is an excellent base for sliding, increasing the chance of sliding down. So be very careful.

If you do not feel the strength to climb to the top, try visiting the "Hall of Fish". The room was so named because of the fish depicted on the bas-relief located inside. The hall was closed to the public for a long time, because of the devices in it, with the help of which the tilt of the tower was constantly monitored. A hole in the ceiling allows you to watch the starry sky over Pisa while visiting the tower at night.

An evening visit to the Campanella includes a tour of the Santo Campo Memorial Cemetery. It is used not only for the burial of the dead, but also for life training seminars. There you can see and think about the cycles of the frescoes on the specially illuminated walls.

How to get to the tower

• The Leaning Tower of Pisa is located at: Piazza del Duomo, 56126 Pisa

If you are going to visit Campanella, and it is located slightly away from the main tourist routes, try to set aside at least a day for this. After all, in this small town there is not only a leaning tower.

You can get from the station to the main attraction of the city in 40 minutes on foot. If you do not want to walk on foot, you can use public transport. It will take you to Pisa Rossore station, which is just a stone's throw away.

• See instructions:

Why falls

An interesting story is connected with the appearance of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It tells the story of how the masters of Pisano were asked to design and build a bell tower for the cathedral under construction. The architect did his best. He erected an elegant tower as straight as an arrow. However, the Catholic clergy, who ordered this work, did not want to pay off the master. The annoyed architect turned to leave. But finally, he turned around, waved his hand and said to the tower: "Come with me!" And in front of the surprised bystanders, the Campanile bent down in an attempt to take the first step.

Galileo

It is also reliably known that it was in Pisa in 1564 that the future famous scientist was born - Galileo Galilei ( Galileo galilei) ... Historical chronicles tell that at that time just a physicist and philosopher conducted various experiments with the help of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He dropped objects of various weights and volumes from the top of the bell tower in order to prove his theory that the weight of the body falling down does not affect the speed of the fall.

The entire architectural complex, which also includes the Leaning Tower of Pisa, was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO at the end of 1986.

It turns out there are three of them

Surprisingly, the "falling" buildings, namely the bell towers in Pisa, are not one, but three. We have already discussed the first in detail. The second is located in the pine parkland of Piagge (le Piagge). This is the campanilla of the church of St.Michael ( San michele degli scalzi).

The third bell tower was lost on the oldest street in the city and belongs to the Church of St. Nicholas ( San nicola). Its curvature is not so "striking" because of the densely surrounding it other buildings. All structures were tilted at the time of construction in the distant past due to the heterogeneity of the soil and groundwater.

All in all, about 300 "falling" towers can be found in the world. Among them are the clock tower in Izmir (Turkey), Big Ben (England), the Bologna towers, the Nevyansk tower (Russia). However, it was the "falling" Leaning Tower of Pisa ( Torre pendente di Pisa) .

Photo on background

And, finally, a reminder: do not forget with the Leaning beauty of Pisa. After all, photos against her background have become almost classics. With some effort, you might even be able to straighten the tower. After all, the tilt angle in the photo, the tilt angle will depend on the side from which the picture was taken. For example, if you stand on the north or south side of the campanile, then next to you there will be an absolutely level structure. But the western and eastern sides provide an opportunity to see the "highlight" of the sights in all its glory. Having shown your imagination, or at least after wandering around the Internet in advance, you will undoubtedly be able to create your own composition with the Leaning Bell Tower of Pisa.

How to get to Pisa

• from Rome: fastest by high-speed train from the central station Roma Termini FRECCIABIANCA for 37 euros - travel time 3 hours, or regional for 23 euros - 4 hours. When planning a trip in 2-3 months, you can buy a high-speed train ticket for only 9 euros. Also, the train, which costs 22 euros, departs daily from the Roma Trastevere station. Tickets are bought directly at the train station for a maximum of 7 days.
• from Florence: From the Firenze Santa Maria Novella station, an electric train runs daily 2 times an hour, costing 8 euros, the journey time is about an hour.
• from Milan: from Milano Centrale station the fastest is by the FRECCIAROSSA train with a change to the train in Florence at Firenze Santa Maria Novella station. Travel time is a little over 3 hours. The cost is 48-65 euros (27-37 euros for 3 months), depending on the time of day. A less high-speed option is a regional train for 34 euros (9 euros in advance), the journey takes 4 hours.
• from Rimini: most likely you will have to get with transfers in Bologna and Florence, since there is no direct connection. The road will take you about 4 hours. One-way tickets cost 39-53 euros. An alternative option is to get on your own by renting a car at the airport for 50-60 euros per day without being tied to trains. ...
• from Genoa: from Genova Piazza Principe station by regional or high-speed train for 15-20 euros. Travel time is about 2 hours.

You can check the current train schedule in Italy on the official website in the TUTTI I TRENI section. See instructions without intermediaries.

Where to stay in Pisa?

Most often, tourists come to Pisa for one day, this option allows you to check the box and take a picture against the background of the falling tower, but in order to visit other equally significant sights of the city and feel its atmosphere, we recommend that you stay in Pisa for at least 1 day by booking hotel on Booking.com. The cost of decent accommodation options is in the range of 60-100 euros. A special link can be used to find the hotel next to the tower. As an idea: come to Pisa at lunchtime, take a walk around the city, take a look around, have dinner in the evening, and at dawn walk and take pictures at the most popular places. Next to the hotel for breakfast and home.

Good luck with your travels and photos!

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Excursion to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Every visitor to the city of Pisa can climb this bell tower. The tour price is 18 euros, and there are no tickets for children. Children under 8 years old are strictly forbidden to climb here, teenagers under 18 years old can visit the excursion only when accompanied by adults.

Tickets can be bought online, but this is not easy. The official site http://www.opapisa.it/ does not have a Russian-language version, but there is a part of the site in English. Even if you know English, you will not be able to buy tickets there. Tickets are sold only on the Italian side of the site. To buy a ticket, on this page - http://boxoffice.opapisa.it/Turisti/, click on the word PURCHASE, which is right under the British flag. Next, you will need to select a ticket and pay with a credit card.

The administration warns:

It is strictly forbidden to bring any bags or other items on the tour. An exception is made only for photo and video cameras. All items can be checked into a special wardrobe.

It is strictly forbidden to walk on the spring aisles. Although many tourists go.

It is forbidden to go under the bells, it is forbidden to beat the bells.

There are still railings on the 7th and 8th floors, but you can't lean out behind them either.

For people with a fear of heights, a visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa is not recommended.

Also keep in mind that the tower is over 50 meters high with 296 steps leading up. You will have to go through them all on foot, count your strength.

There are seven bells in total, and they form a scale of notes. Theoretically, you could play music on them, but they don't.

This is where the tour ends. It is difficult to say how unforgettable the experience you will get from climbing to the very top. In fact, there is nothing very unusual about an excursion to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, just tick the box that was on the most popular sightseeing in Italy.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa gradually tilted until 2008. In 1964, the Italian government proposed to completely straighten the building, but the city authorities flatly refused, since it is the falling tower that attracts tourists.

In 2008, when the tilt angle reached 5.5 degrees, it was decided to straighten it a little.

Why is the Leaning Tower of Pisa tilted. And how the slope was corrected.

The project of the bell tower for the cathedral of the city of Pisa was unsuccessful. The depth of the foundation was only three meters, which was clearly not enough for a structure over 50 meters high. The fact that the Leaning Tower of Pisa was a curve was noticed almost immediately, but did not pay serious attention, since the war began.

The slope of the Leaning Tower of Pisa increased, but very slowly, and in the 20th century it already became dangerous, reaching 5.5 degrees. It was necessary to urgently do something, and in 1990 a complex engineering operation began to level the building.

This was the second such operation. The first was carried out in the 19th century, when groundwater was removed from under the foundation, but this did not help.

It should be said right away that no one set the goal of making the bell tower completely straight, since this is not interesting to the authorities of the city of Pisa. They need the leaning tower as it attracts tourists.

Of course, no excavators were used. The soil was removed slowly and carefully using special pipes.

In 2001, engineers announced that the Leaning Tower of Pisa had stabilized its tilt and would not fall for the next 300 years. Responsible for the project were: Professor of the Polytechnic University of Turin Michel Jamiolkovski and Professor of the University of Naples Carlo Vigiani.

We will end this article with the exact characteristics of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, given in the table:

Enjoy your visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and read about other sights of Italy in our articles ( links below).

There are many falling towers in the world - buildings that have a tower-like shape, which for completely different reasons deviated from the vertical state and tilt menacingly. Typically, the tilt of towers occurs due to changes in soil properties or due to errors of builders when laying foundations. Oddly enough, such towers often become attractions that attract crowds of tourists. Some of these leaning towers, due to their high historical and artistic value, are included in the List of Cultural Heritage of Humanity, or in the Guinness Book of Records. Let's take a look at 12 of the most interesting and famous falling towers.

Capital Gate is a modern skyscraper in Abu Dhabi, which is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the tower with the largest slope in the world. The slope of the structure is 18 degrees. Unlike the rest of the structures in this article, the skyscraper was specially designed and built with a slope.

Church in Zuurhusen, located in East Friesland in northwestern Germany. Before the construction of the Capital Gate tower in Abu Dhabi in 2010, according to the Guinness Book of Records, it was the most inclined tower in the world. The spire of Zuurkhuzene deviated from the vertical axis by 5.19 degrees with a tower height of only 24.7 m.

The bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta or the Leaning Tower of Pisa, undoubtedly the most famous "leaning" tower in the world. The first stone in its foundation was laid on August 9, 1173. The tilt angle of the tower is 4 degrees.

In the capital of Ukraine, Kiev, there is also a falling landmark - the Great Lavra Bell Tower of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. It was built in 1731-1745 and today it has deviated from the vertical by 62 cm in the northeast direction.

Big Ben, London, UK. The Clock Tower of the British Parliament has tilted to the northwest by 0.26 degrees, or 43.5 cm. It seems to be a little, but for the British this is already a whole event.

The two towers Asinelli and Garisenda in the city of Bologna, Italy, fall despite the city's best efforts. The larger tower is called Asinelli, and the smaller but more off-axis is the Garisenda. Its deflection is already more than 3.22 meters.

Tower on the hillside of the Frankenhausen church (Germany) on the outskirts of the city, constantly exposed to strong winds.

Tower in Nevyansk, Russia. Tower Nevyansk also falls. The tower is located in the center of Nevyansk and is one of the most famous in the Middle Urals. The construction was financed by Peter the Great and was built in the first half of the 18th century by the famous Russian builder Akinfiy Demidov. The height of the tower is 57.5 m. According to recent measurements, the deviation of the upper part of the tower from the vertical is currently 2.20 m.

Tiger Hill Pagoda or Huqiu Tower is located in Suzhou city, in Jiangsu province. The tower was erected in the late period of the Fifth Dynasties (907-960 AD), its height is 47 m. For more than a thousand years, the Tiger Hill Pagoda has been steadily lurching due to unfavorable weather conditions. The slope of the tower today is 2.32 m.

Burano Tower, or the Church of St. Martin on one of the Venetian islands - Burano, Italy. The tower was built in the 15th century and began to tilt due to the unstable island soil. It does not fall just because it is leaning on a nearby building.

The Oude Kerk Church is located in the old city center of Delft, Netherlands. Its bell tower, built in 1350, is 75 meters high and currently has a slope of about 1.98 meters.

Bedum Tower, Netherlands, is located in the northern Dutch city of Bedum, and it also leans more and more every year. With its height of 35.7 meters, the tower deviated from the vertical by 2.61 m.

The bell tower of the Tikhvin Church in the city of Kungur is little known. However, built in the 1880s with a height of 70 meters, it tilted immediately after construction and has a slope of 3.5 degrees. The Tikhvin Church is an architectural monument of federal significance.

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