If you are planning your trip to Pisa and want to find out all about its most famous attraction, you are in the right place! In this post, we will explore the history of the Tower of Pisa, starting with a brief overview of its history and then delving into more in-depth details.
I will guide you through the architecture and art history of this iconic monument, we will examine the construction site and design that gave birth to the Leaning Tower.
There will be fascinating legends and curiosities surrounding the Tower of Pisa, and I will give you valuable tips to ensure you fully enjoy your visit.
Get ready for an exciting journey into the heart of one of the world’s most famous architectural wonders!
Are you ready? Let’s get started!
WAIT! Before you start reading the article: you should know that the Tower of Pisa is one of the most famous and visited monuments in Italy! The queue to visit this famous monument is always very long! To enter this attraction without wasting time in line I recommend you buy your ticket online. Click below to book your admission and enter the Leaning Tower of Pisa in an instant.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa: Reserved Entrance
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Tower of Pisa description
Table of content
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a worldwide icon that has enchanted and amazed visitors for centuries.
His breathtaking 4-degree incline is the feature that has made it famous worldwide, attracting tourists and onlookers from every corner of the planet.
Located in the beating heart of Piazza dei Miracoli, the Tower of Pisa stands majestically as one of Italy’s most recognizable and admired monuments.
Before embarking on the exciting ascent to the summit, please review the practical information and precautions to be observed during the visit.
Remember to leave backpacks and bulky bags in the checkroom before you go up and to take them back at the end of your experience, as you are not allowed to leave personal belongings in lockers while visiting other monuments and museums in the square.
Please also be advised that the climb to the top requires tackling numerous steps, so the visit may not be suitable for those with motor problems. To ensure the safety of all visitors, a Dae defibrillator has been installed on the Tower.
After this brief info on the visit, let us move on to the primary purpose of this article, which is to thoroughly tell the history of the Tower of Pisa.
Brief history of the Tower of Pisa
The fascinating history of the Tower of Pisa began on August 9, 1173, when the architect Bonanno Pisano laid the foundation stone.
Originally conceived as the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, its progressive inclination over the centuries has transformed it into the undisputed star of the architectural landscape of Pisa and beyond.
Characterized by a distinctive cylindrical shape, its construction extended through the 13th and 14th centuries, while its restorations continue to pose a fascinating challenge even to this day.
The instability of the ground on which it was erected, a layer of clay called “normaconsolidated” in the jargon, soon led the tower to show signs of subsidence, forcing Bonanno Pisano’s time to stop work.
This marks the beginning of a long saga of interventions and restorations that have shaped the history and unique identity of this extraordinary monument.
But what are the dates of the construction of the Tower of Pisa?
- 1173 has begun the construction of the Tower of Pisa
- 1178 work on the Tower first came to a halt due to structural failure. At this stage the Tower is three stories complete.
- 1272 work resumed on the Bell Tower of the Cathedral, this time led by Giovanni di Simone.
- 1278 the construction of the Tower suffers a new halt, the Tower is now complete up to the 7th frame.
- 1370 the Tower of Pisa is finally completed but the structure has a 1.6-degree inclination.
- 1838 due to a disastrous intervention by the architect Alessandro della Gherardesca the Tower, which had remained stable in previous centuries, began to tilt.
- 1840 a committee is established to evaluate the inclination of the Tower; others will be formed in the years to follow.
- 1934 a new disastrous intervention threatened to bring down the Tower: holes were drilled in the base of the Bell Tower and concrete was placed inside. The intervention had received Mussolini’s approval.
- 1943-1945 Piazza Dei Miracoli suffers extensive damage during Allied bombing however the Duomo, Bell Tower and Baptistery emerge virtually unscathed.
- 1990 an additional commission is established to evaluate the Tower of Pisa, which in the meantime is closed to the public.
- 1995 midway through consolidation work the bell tower is in danger of collapsing.
- 1999, the ultimate solution to consolidate the Tower is found and applied: its extraction from the ground.
- On June 16, 2001, when the restoration work was completed, the Tower was reopened to the public: it lost a good 40 centimeters of inclination, returning to the 4-degree slope it had in 1700. It was Professor Michele Jamiolkowski who “straightened” the Leaning Tower of Pisa, giving it at least 300 guaranteed stability.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa: Reserved Entrance
Purchase online. Choose the time of your choice. Visit the famous Tower of Pisa, the Duomo and the Piazza dei Miracoli.
You can cancel for free up to the day before the visit.
History of the Tower of Pisa
The project and the first phase of construction
Photo by Didatticarte on www.didatticarte.it
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, imposing in its soaring 58.36 meters from its foundation level, is a monument that embodies the boldness and ingenuity of its creators.
Constructed with marble columns and with the massive weight of 14,453 tons, it was part of an ambitious architectural project, made possible thanks to financial resources from the maritime military enterprises of Pisa, which at that time was a flourishing maritime republic, particularly the expedition to Sicily.
Originally conceived as an integral part of the Cathedral complex, the Bell Tower, together with the Cathedral, was to symbolize the greatness of Christendom. Characterized by a cylindrical shape, unique among bell towers, it was erected slightly away from the Cathedral to prevent bell resonances from damaging the structure of the Cathedral. This arrangement wasthe result of the vision of architects Diotisalvi and Buschetto.
According to the famous art critic Giorgio Vasari, the supervision of the work was entrusted to Bonanno Pisano, a theory corroborated by the discovery of his tombstone near the bell tower, walled into the entrance of the tower.
However, construction was not without obstacles: the first phase was interrupted when the tower began to tilt due to unstable ground conditions. work only resumed in 1275, led by Giovanni di Simone and Giovanni Pisano, but was again interrupted at the height of the seventh floor. In an attempt to correct the slope, new floors were added in the opposite direction, a contrivance that gives the tower its distinctive and unique appearance.
Subsequent construction sites and restorations
The Tower of Pisa, completed in 1370 with the addition of the belfry by Nicola Pisano, even then defied gravity with its 1.6-degree inclination.
Among the various restoration attempts to correct this tilt and prevent its collapse, in 1838 Alessandro della Gerardesca intervened by digging around the base of the bell tower to remove water from the ground.
However, this intervention had the opposite effect, causing the situation to worsen further.
In 1840, a commission was established to assess the severity of the problems afflicting the tower, which was now considered a “permanent sickness” requiring urgent treatment to prevent collapse, a situation that also afflicted other important medieval towers in other cities.
In 1934, a new restoration attempt proved equally disastrous. The tower’s increasing slope became a national disgrace and an affront to Italian pride, leading Mussolini to initiate an extreme intervention: holes were drilled at the base of the bell tower and concrete poured into them. This solution, however, risked causing the tower to collapse.
During World War II, between 1943 and 1945, Piazza dei Miracoli suffered bombardment by Allied forces, causing extensive damage to the frescoes of the Camposanto. Fortunately, the Cathedral, Bell Tower and Baptistery remained intact, testifying to the resilience of these majestic structures even in the face of wartime devastation.
The Great Tower Rescue
Photos by Trevi s.p.a on trevispa.com
In 1990, faced with the persistent and worrying tilt movement of the Bell Tower, which was proceeding at a rate of 2 millimeters per year, a commission was established to assess its stability.
The proposed restoration solution had actually been suggested several years earlier by Roman engineer Fernando Terracina. Under the guidance of professor Michele Jamiolkowski, research, work and experiments were initiated to safeguard the tower.
The strategy adopted involved pulling the structure out of the ground by digging underneath it on the side opposite to its inclination.
To reinforce the tower and stop its tilt, lead masses were placed at its base, and various interventions were implemented, including freezing the ground, injecting liquid cement, and anchoring the structure with a cable placed 40 meters deep.
However, in 1995, during consolidation work, known as “Black September,” the tower resumed tilting and risked collapsing, increasing its tilt by more than it would have done in an entire year. Only the further addition of lead prevented imminent disaster.
Slowly, the steeple reversed its rotation and reduced its inclination, returning to the 4-degree slope dating back to 1700.
On June 16, 2001, after a long period of restoration initiated in 1990 to ensure its safety, the Bell Tower reopened to the public.
However, the situation of the tower and its inclination continue to be monitored constantly.
Professor Jamiolkowski’s intervention has given the tower an additional 300 years of safety, but the challenge to prevent its collapse remains open, and new chapters in the history of the Tower of Pisa will be written in the future.
Tower of Pisa: legends
Galileo Galilei’s experiments
It is said that the famous scientist, who conducted his experiments on falling bodies in Pisa between 1589 and 1591, made the Campanile his laboratory. According to legend,Galilei dropped two cannonballs from the Campanile to prove that the falling speed of a body does not depend on its mass. Pisans claim that Galileo’s ghost still roams the Tower to conduct his experiments.
The tower bells
In the belfry of Pisa there is a bell dedicated to Saint Ranieri, patron saint of Pisa, but in the city this is known as the “Traitor’s Bell.” In fact, the bell in the Middle Ages was rung during the execution of citizens convicted of treason.
Tower of Pisa: curiosities
Over the years, the Tower of Pisa has attracted great interest from artists, registers, photographers and others.
- In the 1950s a Roman jeweler, Louis Nichilo, designed a lipstick case inspired by the Tower of Pisa and then pendant. Today it has become a sought-after vintage piece.
- In the film “Amici Miei – Act Two” released in 1982, a group of Tuscan friends organize a daring prank on the Campanile: convincing tourists that the Torre is in danger of collapse the boys stage an unlikely tug-of-war.
- The Tower of Pisa is also famous among gamers, in fact, it was added as a mod for the “Bethesda” game. An abandoned and ruined version of the famous Tower can be encountered on a planet of Starfield, in the Sol system.
Frequently asked questions
Work on the construction of the Leaning Tower began in 1173. It took several phases and as many as 117 years to complete the Tower!
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is as old as 850 years, in fact work began on August 9, 1173.
Beginning the construction of the Leaning Tower in 1173 was the architect Bonanno Pisano.
The Leaning Tower was designed and built to serve as the campanile of the nearby Cathedral.
Saving the Tower of Pisa by reducing its tilt was the work of Professor Michele Jamiolkowski, who headed the International Committee to Save the Tower of Pisa.
The steps you will have to climb to get to the top of the tower are a whopping 294. But never fear! There are several rest stations and viewpoints where you can stop to catch your breath and admire the beautiful view of the city of Pisa.
The Tower of Pisa is crooked because of the instability of the ground on which it is built. In ancient times, the area that now houses the Tower of Pisa was in fact a swamp, a terrain characterized by river silt and sand sediments, which is notoriously unstable. Despite the challenges imposed by the nature of the soil, this area was chosen for the construction of the Tower and Cathedral, located outside the medieval walls. Archaeological excavations have revealed that this place was considered sacred to the Etruscans, adding an aura of mystery and antiquity to the history of the Tower of Pisa.
History of the Tower of Pisa: conclusions
We have come to the end of this fascinating journey through the history of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
We explored every corner of this iconic monument, from its origins to the legends surrounding it.
I had the pleasure of sharing with you both a brief and detailed overview of one of Pisa’s most famous buildings, enriching your knowledge with trivia and answers to frequently asked questions.
If you still have doubts or would like more information, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below-we are here to help!
But your trip to Pisa is only just beginning! Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the other amazing monuments this city has to offer.
Check out the other articles available to discover the wonders that await you in Pisa.
And if you’re ready for an unforgettable adventure, be sure to purchase your Tower of Pisa admission ticket, skipping the ticket office line and beginning your experience without waiting.
Thank you for joining us on this journey and enjoy your continued exploration of Pisa!
The Leaning Tower of Pisa: Reserved Entrance
Purchase online. Choose the time of your choice. Visit the famous Tower of Pisa, the Duomo and the Piazza dei Miracoli.
You can cancel for free up to the day before the visit.
