Tower of Pisa

It is one of the most famous landmarks of the Italian city of Pisa and attracts numerous visitors every year: the Leaning Tower. Since 1987, the famous tower, along with the cathedral, the baptistery, and the adjacent cemetery, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

Even though it appears quite crooked at first glance, the Tower of Pisa cannot claim to be the world’s most crooked tower. That title belongs to a tower in a small village in East Frisia. The church tower in Suurhusen is significantly smaller, but also a few degrees more crooked than the famous tower in Pisa. 

The Leaning Tower of Pisa was actually designed as a campanile—a freestanding bell tower—for the cathedral standing next to it. The cornerstone for the tower, which would later become world-famous, was laid as early as 1173.

A Leaning Tower

The first problems arose as early as the third floor during construction. The tower is built on a foundation of loamy mud and sand, which shifts under the weight of the structure. Due to the soil conditions, construction was halted for 100 years, and the next four floors were built at an angle to stabilize the tower. It was not until 1372 that the tower was finally completed despite the difficulties, and it has stood ever since on the Piazza dei Miracoli with a tilt of about 4 degrees.

The tower is 55 meters high and has a diameter of about 12 meters. It was designed to serve two very different purposes: on the one hand, it was intended to house the cathedral’s bells, and on the other, it was meant to serve as a refuge for the clergy in the event of a threat.

In the meantime, however, the tower was unable to fulfill either of these roles, as it was feared that the ringing of the bells would cause the tower to collapse. Furthermore, the tower was closed to visitors for a long time. Now, a maximum of 40 visitors are allowed in the tower at any one time.

The tower has undergone repeated major renovations intended to improve its stability. For example, in 1998, soil was selectively removed from beneath the tower, causing it to sink on one side and thus slightly reduce its angle of inclination.

The Tower of Pisa is sited on the central square Piazza dei Miracoli, just next to the Cathedral of Pisa.

By bus
You can get here relatively easy by using bus line 4 and get off at the stop “Piazza Arcivescovado”. Should you be in the mood to come here at night, bus line 21 is the best choice. Just make sure you get off at the station “Piazza Manin”.

By car
Only a 5 minutes walk away from the cathedral square you can leave your car at the parking facility “Via Pietrasantina”.