Several centuries ago, in one of the cities of Italy, a tower was built that slowly leans every year. And today the topic on the site “I and the World” is the Leaning Tower of Pisa, where is it located, who built it, why does it stand at an angle but does not fall, and how many floors and bells does it have?

There is an interesting history of the creation of the building. When the architect Pisano built a beautiful openwork tower, local authorities refused to pay him for the work. And then, the upset master said, turning to the tower: “Follow me!” It tilted towards the person, and over 8 centuries the angle of inclination in degrees has already increased to 5°30′, which is equal to five meters. Quite a tilt! But, surprisingly, in this position it survived earthquakes in the country and still delights tourists from all over the world. What a fabulous legend!

Grand construction

Few people know that the building is not a simple tower, but a bell tower (campanella), part of an architectural ensemble of one style - Romanesque.

All buildings: the Pisa Cathedral, the Baptistery, the cemetery and the bell tower itself were built in the city of Pisa (Italy). Construction began at the end of the 12th century and ended 2 centuries later in 1360. Over the years, there were breaks in construction and it is believed that the project was initially erroneous, where the soft soil was not taken into account, which on one side subsided and it became “falling”.

What is the building like?

After the first 11 meters, the bell tower tilted and construction was interrupted for as long as 100 years. After an attempt to correct the tilt, nothing worked, and the construction of the bell tower was completely stopped, without completing the 4 floors of the project. How many floors does the bell tower have? 8 were built, although 12 were planned.

The outside walls are covered with white and light gray marble, and near the entrance, bas-reliefs depict unusual animals and a beautiful sculpture of the Virgin and Child. Each floor is decorated with 30 columns, and on the last floor there is an elegant belfry, where 7 bells ring, striking a beautiful melody before each service.

55.86 is the height of the tower in meters on the tilt side and 56.7 on the other side. The mass of the entire structure is 14,453 tons.

What's inside? In the middle of the bell tower there are many covered galleries connected by richly decorated arches.

At the very bottom there is the Hall of Fish. The place received this unusual name for the bas-relief of a large fish - a symbol of Christianity. A staircase with 294 marble and comfortable steps leads to the belfry, and while you are going up, you can admire the views of the city through the observation windows, and on the fifth floor you can go out to the observation deck. And at the very top you will feel the tilt of the tower: not for the faint of heart!

And yet she holds on!

Why doesn't she fall? The soil on one side has subsided, but every year the slope either increases or, for some reason, decreases. This is due to the fact that the soft soil is constantly shifting, but people annually carry out work to reduce the slope. Interesting facts are associated with this activity. There was an idea: to attach the tower to a huge balloon, which would prevent it from tilting. Or even funnier: lay a railroad around it and run a tram along it; it will travel in a circle and compact the earth so that it does not shrink. Build the same tower next to it, but tilted in the other direction - let their tops support each other. Both laughter and sin, as they say! But, of course, they abandoned such “fun” ideas and settled on constantly strengthening the foundation. And hurray! In the 16th century, the “crooked” tower not only stopped tilting, but also straightened slightly. Now there is hope that the famous bell tower will stand for another three hundred years.

The tower and surrounding buildings can be seen daily, and from June to September it is open until midnight to admire the beauty of the city at sunset and take amazing photos. The ticket is not cheap - 18 euros, because too much money was spent on restoration. But even at a high cost, you need to buy a ticket in advance, because there are a huge number of tourists.

Exact location

Where the building stands, the exact address: Piazza del Duomo, 56126 Pisa PI, Tuscany, Italy. You can walk from the city station in 40 minutes, and you can also see other attractions. You can also get there by bus. And don't forget to take a photo with the bending celebrity. And one more thing can be said about the little secret of the tower: if it is somehow “straightened”, then it will no longer bring such colossal income to the city, and it will cease to be a “celebrity”.

You learned all the most interesting things about the Leaning Tower of Pisa from the article: where it is located, how many years it took to build and when it was built, as well as a brief description of the external and internal decoration.

See also video:

Before you begin to answer the question of why the Leaning Tower of Pisa does not fall, you must first find out what was the reason for its fall? As a result of a number of examinations, it was found that it was caused by a discrepancy between the foundation and the external building structure. The architect, when calculating the foundation, did not take into account the characteristics of the soil, which turned out to be too soft. This was the main reason that when laying the third floor, the entire structure began to lean in one direction.

This process lasted until 2008, and threatened to end very sadly for the tower if not for work to strengthen the foundation, which, paradoxically, continues in our time. Only in the nineties, a number of engineering works were carried out aimed at strengthening the southern part of the tower. It was in this direction that she was leaning. The northern part was strengthened with heavy blocks. The idea of ​​installing external support elements was abandoned, as this would disrupt the overall architectural style of the structure.

Thanks to the work carried out, the position of the tower has stabilized. She stopped sagging and leaning to her side. The counterweights installed on its northern side were removed. After 2001, additional work was carried out, as a result of which the inclination of the tower became slightly less, and stopped at 3 degrees 54 minutes. At the moment the situation remains quite stable. The vertical axis of the tower passes through its center of gravity and rests against the base. With a greater inclination, it would go beyond its limits, which would lead to the fall of the entire structure.

Although, to be honest, risks still remain. They are due to the following reasons:

1. Possible subsidence of masonry on the south side due to increased load on it.
2. Subsidence of the soil at the base of the foundation.

For this reason, work to strengthen the foundation does not stop to this day. During these events, the tower is closed to tourists. They are not allowed onto the observation deck to avoid accidents. Today the tower continues to tilt, but this tilt does not exceed one millimeter during the year. And yet, it is there. If nothing is done, humanity may lose the UNESCO cultural heritage.

Now we know the reason why the Leaning Tower of Pisa does not fall. She is simply not allowed to do this. And the point is not at all a desire to correct the architect’s mistake, but a desire to preserve this cultural monument for future generations.

As for scientists, they are very optimistic. According to their calculations, the Leaning Tower of Pisa may still fall, but given the current attitude towards it, this will happen centuries, so in five, not earlier.

Excursion to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Every visitor to the city of Pisa can climb this bell tower. The price of the excursion is 18 euros, and there are no children's tickets. Children under 8 years old are strictly prohibited from climbing here; teenagers under 18 years old can only go on an excursion if accompanied by an adult.

Such measures are not accidental, because there are simply no barriers on all floors of the building (note the picture on the right), nothing protects visitors from accidental falls. The floor, like the entire structure, is made of marble and is quite slippery. Guides say that there have been cases of tourists falling into the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The ticket for the excursion is sold strictly for a specific time, the visit to the attraction itself takes 30 minutes. If you do not arrive at the required time, you will not be allowed in, so be careful. Moreover, if you come here on your own, there may not be any tickets available at all, since the group size is limited. However, we did not hear from any of the travelers that there were no tickets at all. It happened that there were no tickets for the next show, and tourists had to wait a little.

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

The administration warns:

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

It is strictly forbidden to walk along the vernal passages. Although many tourists go.

It is forbidden to pass under the bells, it is forbidden to ring the bells.

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

Visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa is not recommended for people with a fear of heights.

Also keep in mind that the tower is more than 50 meters high and there are 296 steps leading up. You will have to go through them all on foot, rely on your strength.

There are seven bells in total, and they form a scale of notes. Theoretically, they could play music, 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 in an excursion to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, just “check the box” that you were at the most popular attraction in Italy.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa gradually leaned until 2008. In 1964, the Italian government proposed to completely straighten the structure, but the city authorities categorically refused, since it was the leaning tower that attracted tourists.

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

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

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

The leaning of the Leaning Tower of Pisa increased, but very slowly, and in the 20th century it had already become dangerous, amounting to 5.5 degrees. Something had to be done urgently, 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’s worth saying right away that no one set out to make the bell tower completely straight, since this is not interesting to the authorities of the city of Pisa. They want the leaning tower because it is what 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 Michel Jamiolkowski of the Polytechnic University of Turin and Professor Carlo Viggiani of the University of Naples.

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

Have a good time visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa and read about other attractions of Italy in our articles ( links below).

If you talk about Italy, and in particular about the city of Pisa, then the first thing that comes to mind, of course, is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This is one of the most famous historical monuments of our time, regardless of what part of the planet you live in. Why is she so famous? There is no big secret about this - the fact is that it stands at an angle to the ground. It even gives the impression that the Tower is falling. But it is precisely this drawback of the Tower that attracts tourists from all over the world to Pisa. Perhaps if the Tower had not stood crookedly, no one would have wanted to look at it. Surely you will be interested to know that the Tower itself is not a separate structure. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is part of the architect's idea; it is only one element from a whole architectural collection. The tower in this Italian courtyard is not just a decoration, it is actually a huge bell tower, or as it was called - Campanella (translated from Italian it means “bell”). So, what is included in the so-called Pisa ensemble. The Pisa Cathedral (Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta), the gloomy cemetery of Campo Santo, the Baptistery (Battistero di San Giovann) and, of course, the square itself where all these objects have found their home - Piazza dei Miracoli are comfortably located here. (Square of Miracles). And the bell tower itself - it is located a little further away behind the north-eastern corner of the cathedral. Taken together, all these objects are rightfully considered one of the best architectural creations in all of Italy.

“A protracted miracle” - this is what local Italians sometimes jokingly call their main attraction in Pisa. The fact is that the Tower is falling and falling, but it still won’t fall - and all this has been going on for 8 long years. The fall continued to the present day, its deviation increased annually by 1 millimeter, and in total, from the beginning to the end of construction work, the tower tilted by 5 meters. This persistent Campanella is not a timid person. The structure even survived an earthquake, but the Tower still stands and today is open to visits by thousands of crowds of tourists. Everyone, of course, tries to take an original photo with the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

From the history of the construction of the Tower

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is definitely a symbol of the entire city. And it became such from the very moment of its construction. And oh, so many years have passed since then. Construction of the structure began in August 1173. The city leadership looked for a nice green meadow on the outskirts, and it was here that the first brick of the bell tower was laid. 200 years - that’s how long it took to build the entire Tower. Of course, for various reasons the work was suspended, but in total this is the period of time. The Leaning Tower of Pisa was built in 1370.

Bonanno Pisano - according to historians who are in charge of this issue, it was this person who could be the original architect and author of the entire project. Unfortunately, this information has not reached us exactly until today, so this is only a basic theory. Was the Tower intentionally built at an angle, or was it all a flaw in the architect's plan? Today it is unlikely that this fact will be established reliably, but the second option is more likely to be true. Under the influence of soil displacement, the tower began to tilt. The architect did not take into account that this could happen, and as a result we have a tilted symbol of the city of Pisa.

The first floor was built, the colonnade was completed, and then the entire structure even then began to slope to the south. At the time the work began, it was only 4 centimeters - who would have noticed! But attention was paid, and construction was stopped for 100 years. In 1275, the Tower tilted by 50 centimeters, and then the builders decided to literally level this situation and place it vertically, as intended. When constructing all subsequent floors of the Tower, the height was increased by 10 centimeters on the inclined side. So within 5 floors it was planned to correct the situation. However, it soon became clear that this move was not very helpful. As a result, the Tower was 4 floors lower than planned.

Architectural features of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa was built in the Romano-Pisan style, traditional for its times. This style has always been able to amaze its admirers with the grace of its lines and discreet beauty. All tiers of the erected and completed Tower today are 58 meters high and have a small tail of 36 centimeters. In the highest part it reaches a height of 56 meters, and the height in the lowest part is 55 meters and 90 centimeters.

The diameter of the entire bell tower at the base is 15 meters and has the shape of a cylinder. The walls at the base are 5 meters thick, and closer to the top they are 2 and a half meters thick. To climb to the top to the observation deck you need to overcome 294 steps, and then you will have a beautiful view of the Field of Miracles and the beautiful nearby surroundings.

The entire structure is built of stone, while the outside is covered with light gray and white marble. The entrance to the Leaning Tower of Pisa is decorated with a large bas-relief and images of mythical animals. The six floors of the Tower are furnished with decorative Romanesque arches, which in their grace are very similar to Byzantine architecture. At the crown of the tilted creation there is a belfry, in which there are slots for seven bells. The weight of the bells in the Leaning Tower of Pisa varies from 300 kilograms to 3.5 tons. Today there are more bells, as new ones were added in the 16th and 17th centuries. The interesting thing is that today all these bells are working and delight locals and tourists with their ringing.

Bells of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

From the 13th century, or rather from the middle of it, builders began to cast bells, which would later take their place of honor in the Pisa bell tower. The first such bell could sound the note G-flat. His name was Pasquereccia. Bell number two was called Terza and its note is B sharp. This object of architectural thought saw the light of day in 1473. In 1501, a Vespruccio bell, small in size compared to the previous ones, was cast, which carried the note “E” around the area. The largest bell, Crocifisso, was made by the master Vincenzo Posenti, and subsequently it was melted down by Gualandi da Prato, and this was in 1818.

Dal Pozzo - the salt note was made in 1606. It was destroyed during the bombing of World War II. After the war it was restored and sent to a museum. And in its place in 2004 an exact copy appeared. Assunta with the note B is the largest of the seven bells, thanks to Giovanni Pietro Orlandi. The last addition to the belfry was San Ranieri (note D-sharp). Moreover, it was repeatedly melted down. The last time this happened was in 1735.

The Assunta bell is capable, thanks to Giovanni Pietro Orlandi, of sounding the note B, and this particular bell is the largest of all seven. The last bell of the seven is the bell of San Ranieri (note D sharp). This one has been melted down many times. Today it is no longer possible to count which of them stands on the Tower.

Today, the Leaning Tower of Pisa serves the existing cathedral with its bells. Before each service, everyone and just onlookers nearby can hear the bells ringing. Today all the bells ring at the same time, but in former times each of them was assigned its own liturgical hour.

Saving the tower from falling

Closer to modern times, a terrible strong hurricane occurred in Pisa, which changed the tilt of the Tower by 1 millimeter in one night. The city authorities faced a serious question - how to preserve the Tower and prevent it from falling. An interesting move was even made and a competition was organized, during which city residents were invited to send their options for saving the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But there was one main condition - the slope must be preserved, because it was in this incarnation that this architectural object became a symbol of the city. The proposals were very diverse and unusual.

A very original proposal was to place a would-be architect under the tower, who could not properly ensure that his Tower stood. There was also a proposal to attach a huge balloon to the top of the tower so that it would hold the tower in a tilted state. A lot of ideas were sent, which generally boiled down to the fact that there should be a second similar tower nearby, but its tilt should be in the opposite direction, that is, so that the two towers would eventually meet and support each other.

Anyone can visit the attraction, but to do this you will have to pay a lot for the entrance ticket. Nevertheless, more than ten million euros were spent on all work on the Tower, which today must be returned to the city budget. The ticket price is 20 euros, and everything suggests that it will only increase. It may be expensive here, but come to the Tower early, in the morning, and buy a ticket in advance; nevertheless, visiting hours here are scheduled a day in advance.

Tower from inside

So, you have handed over all your personal belongings to the storage room, taking only your camera and camera with you, now you can go inside the tower. The staircase here is very wide, and it leads up the circumference of the tower from the inside. Since you are constantly walking in a circle, these steps can make your head spin. The steps you have to climb are made of marble, which in some places is very worn down by the feet of crowds of visitors. The closer to the top, the narrower the staircase and in the end will be no more than 40 centimeters.

The inside of the tower is completely empty, and the staircase you have to walk on wraps around this emptiness, and through the small windows you can look out and see everything with your own eyes.

From the fifth tier, observation platforms begin that tourists can go out to. Everything here is equipped for safety reasons, so the observation decks are covered with mesh, which makes it difficult to take normal photos.

Climbing to the very top is not so easy for many tourists; some stop a couple of tiers before. But if you still climb to the very top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you definitely won’t regret it. The view here is simply stunning, and there is no net. That's how it is - a reward for your efforts.

If you come here in the evening, you can also visit the Santo Campo cemetery as part of the tour. Here on the walls there are mysterious frescoes that are illuminated very beautifully and invite you to deep thoughts about the meaning of life.

How to get to the tower

If you are planning 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.

From the station you can reach the main attraction of the city in 40 minutes on foot. If you don’t want to walk, you can use public transport. It will take you to Pisa Rossore station, from which you are within walking distance of your destination

Pisa may be a small city, but among its attractions it can boast not only the famous Tower that never falls, so if you go to these parts, leave at least one whole day to visit all the surrounding areas.

Arriving at the Pisa train station, you can easily reach your destination on foot in about 40 minutes. If you are lazy, then welcome to city transport. 15 minutes and you are there. From the stop "Pisa Station" to the site there are just a few steps.

Any educated person knows in which country the Leaning Tower of Pisa was built. The Tore pendente di Pisa is located in Italy and is an unusual piece of architecture that symbolizes the city of Pisa. This is the pearl of the religious complex of Piazza dei Miracoli on the Square of Miracles.

History of the tower's construction

August 1173. To complete the ensemble of the Square of Miracles, consisting of the Catholic Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta), the Campo Santo cemetery, the Baptistery of St. Giovanni (Baptistero di San Giovanni, where the sacraments of baptism take place), construction of the bell tower begins. The process lasted almost 200 years, interrupted and resumed. Many historians consider the first builder of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy to be Gerardo di Gerardo.

1233. Construction continues under the direction of the builder Benenato Botici.

1264. The source of decorative material is the Pisa Mountains, where workers go to extract marble. The grinding of stone slabs is led by artisan Reinaldo Speciale.

1272. The further process of construction is resumed. Giovanni di Simone begins to level the slope of the tower structure, but his efforts do not produce a positive result.

1284. The naval battle of Meloria ends with the defeat of Pisa. This leads to the fact that construction is temporarily mothballed.

1319. The seventh level of the building is being completed.

1350. Construction of the topmost floor of the bell tower is completed. Master Tommasa di Andrea Pisano builds a belfry in the Romanesque style.

There is disagreement among researchers about the year of completion of construction. Three expected dates are indicated: 1350, 1360 or 1372.

The Italian city where the Leaning Tower of Pisa is located is known as the birthplace of the world famous physicist and philosopher Galileo Galilei (1564). His student and follower Vincenzo Viviani wrote a biography of the scientist. He included a description of the experiments Galileo conducted to prove his theory about the relationship between the weight of a falling body and the speed of falling from a height. Being on the upper floors of the tower, he simultaneously threw objects of various body weights down.

Scientists' opinions on this issue are divided. Skeptics consider this description a legend. Most recognize the scientist's Pisa experiments as a historical event.

Interesting fact. A record from one of the court books has been preserved. The entry contains a complaint from a Pisan merchant. He was walking past the bell tower when objects fell from above: first a cannonball, then a gun bullet. He fell, seriously injuring his leg. The merchant asks the authorities to punish Galileo, who dumped all this from above. The answer of Galileo himself was also recorded, arguing that one should not pay attention to the words of a person who does not distinguish a gun bullet from a musket bullet.

Architecture of Torre pendente di Pisa

The building material was stone blocks of local origin. Marble from the Pisa Mountains decorates the façade in white and shades of grey. The portal is framed by bas-relief images of mythological creatures. The tympanum is ennobled by a statue of Our Lady by Italian sculptor Andrea Guardi.

The first level is an arcature, that is, a series of decorative arches. The lower colonnade is 11 meters. Subsequent floors are surrounded by galleries. Each of the galleries is formed along the outer contour by columns decorated with classical capitals, which rest on closed arched Romanesque structures.

The official height, recorded statistically, is 58.36 m. But it is noted that the highest side reaches 56.70 meters, the lowest - 55.90 meters.

The diameter of the base is 15.54 m. There are 294 marble steps leading up.

The thickness of the walls is impressive:

• below - 4.90 meters;
• at the top 2.48 meters.

According to modern data, the slope is 3 degrees 54".

Interesting fact. Legend has it that the city government refused to pay the architect after the construction work was completed. He approached the tower column, putting his hand to it, and said: “Follow me!” The building tilted in the direction where its creator had gone.

Bells

At its core, the unique creation of Pisa is a campanella, that is, a bell tower. The seventh level, the belfry, has arched openings for working bells. Musical instruments with names correspond to certain sounds on the staff. The weight of the largest Assunt (Assumption) reaches 3 tons 500 kilograms.

Interesting Facts. Initially, the Crocifisso bell was made by the artisan Vincenzo Posenti, but then it was melted down by another artisan Gualandi da Prato. The small-sized Dal Pozo received serious damage during the Second World War; at the end of the war, the restored version became a museum exhibit. The appearance of its copy among other operating bells - 2004. San Ranieri was melted down several times.

During the Middle Ages, each bell had a strictly established sounding schedule. At the moment, before each mass of the existing cathedral, the bell rings.

Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa fall?

The authors of the project, Bonanno Pisano and Guglielmo Innsbruck, are credited with the origin of the unique “fall” feature. There is documentary evidence, a treatise by the Italian painter Giorgio Vasari (XVI century). He claims that the "evil" that afflicted the bell tower was due to the lack of practice of Bonanno and Guglielmo.

One of the reasons is recognized as the mistake of the designers, who did not take into account the characteristics of soft soil when laying a three-meter foundation. This led to the fact that already during the construction of the first floors a deviation from the vertical began (1178).

The tower structure began to deviate to the south, since under the southern part of the base the soil is looser and more unreliable. The engineers decided to build the wall further on the side of the slope higher (+ 10 centimeters) than on the other side. But the construction site began to tilt in the opposite direction. Instead of the originally planned 10 floors, only 8 were built.

1934. Dictator Mussolini orders the Leaning Tower of Pisa to be returned to its vertical position. Another mistake was made - the foundation was reinforced with concrete, which led to the foundation sinking deeper than the required level.

1964. The Italian government, given the importance of the unusual architectural structure for the tourism industry, decides to maintain the axial deviation, but prevent further destruction. The issue was studied by specialists from various fields: mathematics, engineering, history. It turned out that the masonry is deformed due to the difference in day and night temperatures. The research lasted 20 years.

Temporary measures were taken: the lead block structures of the northern part served as a counterweight, and supports were installed for backup. Experimental studies were carried out on a concrete foundation model replicating the tower data.

After discussing the proposed methods, it was decided to remove 38 cubic meters of soil under the north side. This measure led to the leveling of the situation to the level of 1838.

The design was corrected until 2001. Having stabilized the slope, the tourist site was opened to visitors. Experts promise that the Pisan-Romanesque monument will stand for at least 300 years.

Until 2008, despite the efforts of scientists and builders, the annual deviation was 1 mm.

Restoration 2002-2010 reduced the slope from 5 degrees 30" to 3 degrees 54".

What does the tower look like inside?

The staircase at the beginning of the ascent is quite wide. The steps rise in a spiral from the inside, then are accompanied by a gradual decrease in size. The final level is characterized by an indicator of 40 centimeters. The marble staircase made of natural decorative material is worn in places and has become quite slippery. Tourists are advised to wear comfortable shoes.

The central tower part is empty. From the viewing platforms on the inside you can look into the depths of the space.

Starting from the 5th level, visitors have the opportunity to go to external observation platforms, which are equipped with fences and nets for safety purposes.

Some tourists prefer to finish their climb with the 7th floor (belfry). The bravest climb to the upper observation deck, which does not have a safety net, and its fence does not exceed 1 meter. A panorama of the entire religious ensemble opens.

Of interest to visitors is the Hall of Fishes, so named because of the bas-reliefs depicting sea creatures. Previously, the entrance was closed to tourists, since it was a room for equipment that constantly measured deviations. Among modern tourists, visiting the hall at night is popular. You can look at the starry sky, like in an observatory.

Interesting fact. A copy of the “Italian Leaning Beauty” was built by the Americans in the city of Niles near Chicago, Illinois (1934). The copy reproduces the Pisa landmark in detail, but is half the size. This design disguises an ordinary water tower.

How to get to the tower

It is easy to get to the city of Pisa from various cities in Italy using rail transport.

• on foot, spending 30-40 minutes,
• by public transport to the Piza Rossore stop, the fare is about 1 EUR,
• taxi (approx. 6.30 EUR).

The main attraction of the Pisa complex is open daily, year-round:

• April - September - 8.30 - 20.30;
• October - March - 9.00 - 17.00;
• 14.06 - 15.09 - 20.30 - 23.00 - night visits.

Rules for visiting the tower:

• Entry will not be permitted less than 30 minutes before closing.
• For reasons of security, public order or special circumstances such as ceremonies, the schedule may be subject to change or some areas may be closed without prior notice.
• The visit is strongly not recommended for persons suffering from cardiovascular pathologies or having problems with fine motor skills.
• Due to safety requirements, children under 8 years old are not allowed inside. Tourists under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Proof of age identification may be required.
• The ticket fixes the time of the excursion. Late arrival at the required time will result in refusal to attend and does not give the right to demand a refund.
• Bags and other luggage are left before the entrance (luggage storage is a separate building) and collected after the end of the visit. You are allowed to take a camera or video camera with you.
• The visit lasts approximately 35 minutes.
• Ticket price - 18 EUR (constantly increasing).
• Free entry for visitors with disabilities and their accompanying persons who provide the appropriate document to the cashier and fill out a special form.
• No more than 30-40 people can be allowed inside at a time.
• It is recommended to buy tickets in advance. Excursions are scheduled 1-2 days in advance (especially in the summer there are many people interested).

Popular hotels near the tower

Food prices

Other leaning towers in the world

The world famous city of Italy, where the Leaning Tower of Pisa is located, has two more non-vertical architectural structures:

• Campanella of the Church of St. Nicholas, Via Santa Maria;
• Bell tower of the Church of the Archangel Michael (degli Scalzi), Piagge Park.

Various statistical sources count approximately 300 “leaning” tower structures known throughout the world. You can divide this list into 2 groups depending on whether the project was originally intended to be tilted.

The most notable among the structures for projects involving “inclination” are the following.

• The Capital Gate skyscraper (“Capital Gate”), Abu Dhabi, UAE, at a height of 160 meters, has a deviation from the vertical of 18°. Constructed using a unique diagonal grid technology. Expands from the base to the upper floors.
• The Olympic Stadium Tower (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) was built to host the 1976 Olympics. Its inclination is 45°, height is 165 meters. It is held at an angle thanks to a foundation weighing 145 thousand tons, buried 10 meters underground.
• The Bella Sky Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark consists of two oppositely curved towers. Each has a height of 76.5 m, the deflection angle is 15°.
• Two skyscraper towers "Gateway of Europe" are directed towards each other, Madrid, Spain. Their height is stated to be 114 m, angle - 15°.

Among the architectural creations that bend under the influence of certain conditions, the following stand out:

• Tower of the Catholic Church of San Juan de los Panetes, Zaragoza, Spain. The inclination is 2°. Previously, another building with a city clock stood in its place, leaning 2.3 m and destroyed in 1893.
• The 75 m high bell tower of the Oudekerk Church, Delft, Netherlands, began to tilt due to a poor foundation. The tilt is stabilized to 1.98 meters from the central axis.
• The bell tower of the church of Zuurhusen, Lower Saxony, Germany has a deviation of 5.19 degrees and a height of 27.4 m. The reason for the “fall” is also an unreliable foundation. The situation was stabilized by 1996.
• Yunnan Pagoda, Sizhou, China, built in 961 with a height of 47 m. Its unstable position is determined by the negative influence of weather conditions. She deviated by 2.32 m.

Russia was no exception. Its “falling” tower landmark was built according to the decree of Peter the Great in Nevyansk. The construction dates back to the 17th century. The height of the building is 57.5 m. The deviation of the upper part is 2.20 m. Three versions of its deviation are described:

• special project
• soil subsidence,
• from the suffering and tears of ordinary people.

Interesting fact. The 6th floor provides guests with the opportunity to visit the mysterious “hearing room”. The unique design allows you to observe an unusual phenomenon. Two people standing with their backs to each other in opposite corners can clearly hear each other whispering. There is absolute silence in the middle of the room.

The non-standard “falling” structures of the world conceal many mysteries. But tourists traveling around Italy strive to visit the city of Pisa to see the architectural miracle, which is under the auspices of UNESCO.