Curiosities about the Tower of Pisa

The tower of Pisa It is one of the most famous monuments in Europe. Located in Italy, specifically in the city of Pisa, it attracts thousands of tourists who visit Tuscany wanting to see if it is as inclined as it seems in the photos.

It measures between 55.7 and 55.8 meters in height and weighs about 14,700 tons. Construction began on August 9, 1173 and from then on he began to bow. It was completed in 1350.

Composition

There is 8 levels. In the first of them we find a base of blind arches. In the following six we see open semicircular arcades, while at the top there is a beautiful bell tower with seven bells which can be accessed by climbing 294 steps internal to contemplate privileged views of the city. This bell tower is that of the Cathedral of Pisa, which is right next door, a few meters away.

Problems with your inclination

The Italian Government was forced to ask for help from mathematicians, engineers and historians to prevent its collapse in 1964. A little more than two decades later, in January 1990, it was no longer accessible to the public for security reasons and did not reopen until December 15, 2001, when the remodeling work had already been completed. . It was said back then that its base would remain safe for at least three centuries thanks to the added 800 metric tons of counterweight.

At this time his inclination is 3.99 meters, the same as it had in 1700.

It is not the steepest in the world

Although it is a considerable incline, it should be noted that it is not the steepest tower in the world. Its 4 degrees of inclination to the south are nothing compared to the 6 degrees of inclination of the Suurhusen bell tower, in Lower Saxony (Germany).

Hard to contrast data

They say that Galileo Galilei He launched two cannon balls of different mass from above to demonstrate that the rate of fall was not dependent on mass. And on the other hand, no less curious, to point out that in the main entrance of the Duomo there is a small lizard in relief that brings good luck by rubbing it. Or at least that's what they say.

An accidental architectural wonder - Leaning Tower of Pisa (April 2024)