Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
All the buildings of the Campo dei Miracoli lean
because of their shallow foundations and sandy silt
subsoil, but none tilts so famously as the Torre
Pendente - the Leaning Tower. Begun in 1173, the
tower began to tip sideways before the third storey
was completed. Even so, construction continued until
its completion in 1350. Over ten years of engineering
interventions to 2008 have succeeded in stabilizing the
tower and should keep it stable for at least 200 years.
Belfry
The bell chamber at the top
of the tower is smaller in
diameter than the other
seven storeys. Its addition
in 1350 brought the total
height to 54.5 m (179 ft).
1993: 5.4 m (17.5 ft) from vertical
The bells
add to
the pressure on
the tower.
1817: 3.8 m (12.6 ft) from vertical
1350: tower leaning 1.4 m
(4.5 ft) from vertical
True vertical axis
Six of the tower's
eight storeys
consist of galleries
with delicate
marble arcading
wrapped around
the central core.
1301: tower completed
as far as belfry
Marble columns
Staircase
Empty core
Doorway linking
staircases to galleries
Central Staircase
This cross-section of
the third level shows
how the staircase
rises around the
tower's empty core.
Naval Supremacy
Pisa's navy consisted of
small ships like the one
carved by the entrance to
the tower.
1274: third storey
added; tower starts
to lean
The tower is
supported
on a
shallow stone raft
only 3 m (10 ft) deep.
Entrance
Sandy and
clay soil with
stone and
rubble
Grey-blue clay
Sand composed
of a variety of
minerals
