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The Tower of Pisa looks beautiful in pictures, but seeing the sight in real-life is nothing short of awe-inspiring. It’s not called the Leaning Tower for nothing. The Tower has an overhang of about four metres, just enough to intimidate anyone standing below. The Tower of Pisa seems to mock gravity; an object of such massive weight should have fallen years ago. In fact, it almost has.

The Tower of Pisa is actually the bell tower of a cathedral located in an area known as Piazza dei Miracoli, or the “Square of Miracles”. The name of the architect is unknown, though some theories attribute the design to three possible architects - Bonanno Pisano, Diotisalvi, and Biduino. The architect intended for the Tower to be a stunning - and straight - work of architecture. Construction started in 1173, but with several long delays in building work it took over 200 years for the Tower to be completed. The most notable delay came in the days of early construction, when the Tower started its precarious lean. Builders attempted to correct the incline, but with an inadequate foundation sitting on unstable subsoil, the building was doomed to tilt from the start. In 1267, the master builder Giovanni di Simone intervened, and under his direction the builders made corrections to the structure. By making each new story higher on the short side, the builders gave the Tower its concave shape; unfortunately, they did not correct the tilt. Work continued until 1360 when Tommaso Pisano erected the bellfry, and the Tower of Pisa was completed - though by this point the Tower looked nothing like the original design.

Over the centuries, work was undertaken to correct the incline, though all efforts were unsuccessful. Then a shift in thought occurred. Officials realized that the tilt was what attracted people to the Tower in the first place. So instead of seeking a way to straighten the Tower of Pisa, officials sought to stabilize the Tower to preserve its famous tilt, while at the same time protecting it from the strong forces of gravity. In the 1990´s, major work began on the Tower’s foundations and subsoil. The Tower was straightened only slightly, and its famous lean was maintained; more importantly, workers prevented the Tower from toppling to the ground. Because of their efforts, the Tower of Pisa will still be leaning hundreds of years from now.

The Tower of Pisa is part of the Piazza dei Miracoli UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in Pisa, Italy. While the Tower is the main tourist draw, visitors can also tour the many churches, palaces and museums all located within Pisa, including the Medici Palace and the Museo Nazionale di S. Matteo. Pisa is easily accessible by plane - from the Galileo Galilei Airport - train, and bus.

The Tower of Pisa is an architectural wonder, famed for its beauty and grandeur the world over. It is also an oddity. Its famous lean was a mistake, a result of poor judgement and bad planning. Yet officials and experts from all around the world are determined to save the structure and preserve its tilt for generations to come. So perhaps it is more than just a leaning bell tower. Maybe it is a monument to human error.

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Written by: Amy W
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