The Leaning Tower is a beautiful monument located in the Tuscany region in the city of Pisa in Italy. It is tall and is remarkably famous as it looks as if it will tip over any moment. People from all around the world come to see how this accidental masterpiece stands on its own without support.
The Initial Tilt
The tower had a beautiful array of arches and columns, contributing to its classic Romanesque style. The circular tower was not built to lean. When the construction started in 1173, the builders did not make the foundation strong enough for the building. The foundation ground consisted of soft materials like squishy clay, sand and shells, hence it was not able to balance the tower properly. As the tower got taller the ground started to sink on one side and the tower tilted. Initially the construction was halted, then many people tried fixing it but ultimately, they kept the leaning structure as it withstood the test of time and became an iconic view for the tourists.
The Building
This building that took almost 200 years to finish was designed by an architect named Bonaso Piasono. It was meant to be a campanile (a bell tower) for a church called the Pisa Cathedral. In fact, the bell tower was meant to be the tallest bell tower in the world at that time. But, just after finishing two storeys, the construction was halted for nearly a century before they began building it again. Inside the leaning tower there are 7 large bells in the top chamber. The bells on the north side are lighter compared to the south so as to make the tower more balanced. Reaching a height of 56 m, there are 8 storeys made of white and gray marble along with the bell chamber. A spiral staircase lets the tourists walk to the top.
The Straightening
The building got its tilt as the whole area was a marshy wetland. The initial builders did not properly examine the area before starting construction. As time passed, the tilt kept on increasing, reaching 5.5 degrees in 1990, nearly 15 feet from its base. By most calculations, the tilt was enough for the tower to topple over. So engineers stepped in 1993 and by 2001 they had managed to remove a large part of soil that was stuck up causing the massive tilt. The building was straightened from a 5.5 degree tilt to 3.97 degrees making it much safer for the public. Experts believe that the building would last for another 200 years before it gets worse.
Today the Leaning Tower of Pisa is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is more than just a normal building. The building has endured multiple earthquakes, including the 1280 and 1340 quakes, which damaged the tower but did not cause it to fall. It went from being Italy’s stain to a global representation of Italy’s architectural marvel. It is a mistake that it became a global wonder. Its unique lean, the beautiful structure and its history of saving it from falling by modern engineering have caused it to become one of the most interesting places around the world.
Writer : Hari Govind
Grade : 7 (Year 2025)
Place : Sydney, Australia
