Fun Facts About the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Tuscany may have countless great attractions, but one of the region’s most famous sites is the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or Torre pendent di Pisa in Italian. The bell tower is easily one of the most recognizable landmarks in Italy (or the world for that matter) – so be sure to check out the stunning structure if you plan to come and visit Tuscany.
Interesting facts about Tuscany’s most iconic landmark
The cause of the tilt that made the bell tower so famous
Considering the fact that the word Pisa actually comes from the Greek word marshy land, you would assume that architects would have taken this into account when both making the plans and constructing the building – but you’d be wrong. The reality is that the planned structure being hollow with a heavy base combined with the function of the land led to the famous lean.
There didn’t seem to be any issue at first, but it wasn’t long before sinking became apparent – and by this time, builders didn’t have much choice but to carry on and try to rectify the mistake. As you may have guessed, their attempts didn’t quite work out; although it had stopped until they reached the 4th story. The builders didn’t know what to do after this, so construction halted for almost a century.
It hasn’t always leaned towards the south
For hundreds of years engineers had tried to correct the bell tower’s tilt without much success. One attempt was to just build straight upwards, and plans were implemented as the 3rd story was being built. This only caused the tower to lean in the opposite direction however, as it threw off the structure’s center of gravity.
As work continued though, it settled back into its southward lean where it has stayed ever since, sealing its fate as one of the most famous landmarks in Tuscany.
The leaning tower is actually stable
There’s no need to worry about how stable the Leaning Tower of Pisa is, as it’s actually been declared safe for quite a while now. An engineer was able to secure the movement of the structure during the 21st century, with the building being declared anchored for at least 200 years in 2001.
Want to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Ever considered climbing up one of Tuscany’s most iconic landmarks? The good news is that visitors have been allowed to ascend the structure since its restoration. If you want to try and climb to the top of this famous structure yourself, be sure to book your tickets in advance; excursions of this nature are in demand.
