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The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Situated in the Field of Miracles, the Leaning Tower of Pisa constitutes the campanile of the Pisa's Cathedral. Torre pendente di Pisa, as Italians call it, was intended to stand vertically, but during the construction it started to lean. Nowadays, the inclination is about 5.5 degrees.

The identity of the architect of this splendid structure is still uncertain. The most probable seems Bonanno Pisano, who was an artist resident in Pisa in the 12th century. What's more, the sarcophagus of Bonanno was discovered in 1820 at the foot of the tower. Whoever was the architect, his original project was realized in 100%.

Construction of the tower began on August 9, 1173, during the period of military success and Italian prosperity, and it lasted for about 200 years (with two long interruptions). In the end of 12th century several clocks were installed on the unfinished building. Furthermore, the construction was almost totally halted during the 13th century, as Pisa was engaged in battles with Florence, Lucca and Genoa. Giovanni di Simone continued the construction and built another four floors during a period from 1272 to 1284. Then, the works were stopped again because the Pisans lost the battle of Meloria against Genoans. It was Tommasso di Andrea Pisano who finally succeeded to finish the construction and to install the bells. He managed to harmonize the Gothic elements of the bell-chamber with the Romanesque character of the structure. In 1655 the largest bell, L'Assunta (The Assumption), which weighted three and a half tonnes was installed. Nowadays, the Leaning Tower of Pisa has seven bells - one for each note of the musical scale. The oldest one is named Pasquarreccia.

The further history of the tower is rich, too. Some historians affirm that during his work at the Pisa University in 1589, Galileo used the Leaning Tower for experiments as he wanted to prove his theory of motion. Benito Mussolini wanted to return the vertical position of the tower, but in consequence of his order the monument sank even more into the soft soil. The structure survived the U.S. army bombardment during World War II only by a miracle.

At the beginning, it was believed that the architect had expressly designed the leaning tower, but nowadays we know it is not true. Various efforts were made, and are still being made, to stop or at least limit the inclination. In January 1990 the tower was closed to the public and the stabilization works were carried out. The monument was finally reopened on December 15, 2001. It is estimated that the tower should be stable for at least 300 years.

55.86 metres (8 storeys) high, the Leaning Tower of Pisa has 294 steps leading just to the top. Its weight is estimated at about 14,500 tonnes. Today, one side of the tower is five metres closer to the ground than the other.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the most famous bell tower worldwide. This architectural masterpiece is famous for its inclination but also for its unique beauty. The structure has a special logge where people can stand or walk and observe the happening below. It was probably built to host personalities during Pisa's festivals and ceremonies.

Only the guided groups can climb right on the top of the tower. If you are going to visit this outstanding monument, you should better book the tickets in advance, as it is hardly possible to buy them on the spot, especially in high season.