The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most remarkable relics from the medieval Europe. It is a free-standing bell tower of the cathedral of the city of Pisa and is known worldwide for its tilt to one side.
History
Construction for the Leaning Tower of Pisa began in 1173 AD, when the ground floor with an arcade and Corinthian columns was built. The tower began to sink very soon after work for he second floor began in 1178 AD. The sinking was caused primarily due to a shallow foundation on a weak subsoil, a major design flaw which had been overlooked earlier. Constructed was halted for a century which gave the subsoil time to settle, not intentionally but because the Republic of Pisa was embroiled in war with neighbouring states for prolonged duration.
The construction resumed again in 1272 AD, under the supervision of Giovanni di Simone. In order to arrest the tilting, the architects made the upper floors with one side taller than the other. This resulted in the structure of the tower getting curved. The seventh floor was completed by 1319 AD. The bell chamber was added in 1372 AD; seven bells were added, each corresponding to a musical note. A major restoration project was carried out between 1990 and 2001 and some of it is still underway.
In 1987, the tower was declared as part of the Piazza del Duomo UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the neighbouring cathedral, baptistery and cemetery.
Information
| Days | Everyday | |
| Timing | 1Nov to 28 Feb | 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| 25 Dec to 1 Jan | 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM | |
| 1 to 3 Mar | 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM | |
| 3 to 20 Mar | 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM | |
| 21 Mar onwards | 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM | |
| 1 Apr to 30 Sep | 8:30 AM to 11:00 PM | |
| 1 Oct to 30 Oct | 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM | |
| Entrance Fee | 15 € | |
Photo Courtesy – goodfreephotos.com
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