Officialy known as the ‘Torre pendente di Pisa’, the ‘Leaning Tower Of Pisa’ is a freestanding marble bell tower at the Piazza del Duomo (‘Cathedral Sqaure’) in the city of Pisa, Italy. It was once counted amongst the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’. But have you wondered why is the tower leaning? It tilts so much; it seems it will topple over any minute. Yet tourists from around the world come to visit it and climb its 296 and 294 stairs (one side has two less stairs because of the tilt) to view the countryside and take memorable snapshots like leaning against the tower! The work of the tower began 800 years ago in 1173! However, the architects of the tower didn’t realise that the soil beneath it was very unstable and loose and made only a three metre foundation to support the entire structure. As soon as three stories were constructed, the soil began to sink in, and the construction halted for more than a century because Republic of Pisa went at war with other Republics. Ironically, this gap helped the soil to settle in, otherwise the tower in reality, would have toppled over! A century later, construction began to finish the tower. To compensate for the tilt, engineers built the upper floors with one side taller than the other. Several attempts have been made to correct the tilt. Each year the tower leans a millimetre further! However, it is this tilt that makes the tower so unique. And, of course, with the advancements in modern technology, the Leaning Tower of Pisa will not fall anytime soon!
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