The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Italy. Due its tilt this freestanding bell tower is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. A common question is why is the Leaning Tower of Pisa leaning; the answer is this unintentional tilt is due to the foundation on one side being built on ground to soft to support the structure and causing it to sink. For additional interesting facts about this tower read the lists below. This information, written for both kids and adults, includes when it was built, why it was built, and how come this building has not fallen.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa Description Facts
The tower leans south at 3.99 degrees.
The tower is 183.27 feet (55.86 meters) tall on the lowest side and 185.93 feet (56.67 meters) tall on the highest side.
The tower is made of white marble.
The leaning Tower of Pisa is an example Romanesque architecture; a medieval architectural style characterized by semi-circular arches.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is estimated to weigh 14,500 metric tons (16,000 short tons).
The tower has eight stories including the top floor which is a chamber for bells.
The tower has 294 steps on the north side and approximately 296 steps on its south side.
The tower has 207 columns.
The bell-chamber houses seven bells.
Interesting Leaning Tower of Pisa Facts
The towers name in Italian is Torre Pendente di Pisa.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is located in the city of Pisa in the Tuscany region of Central Italy.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the freestanding bell tower for the cathedral located in the city of Pisa.
The tower began to sink during the construction of the second floor in 1178 AD.
The tower is located in Pisa's Piazza dei Miracoli (formerly known as Piazza del Duomo). Besides the famous leaning tower this area also contains a famous cathedral, baptistry, and cemetery.
The architect of the tower is widely believed to be Diotisalvi, a famous architect from the city of Pisa.
The building of this structure was a remarkable accomplishment for its time.
Construction of the tower began in 1173 AD and went through several construction phases spanning 199 years.
Construction was completed in 1372 AD.
During World War 2 U.S soldiers, suspecting German soldiers were using the tower as an observation post, contemplated destroying it. After observing the towers beauty, they spared the building.
Over the years many attempts were made to stop the tower from tilting; most of these attempts were unsuccessful and some worsened the situation.
Between 1999 and 2001 a successful restoration project took place. A combination of weights affixed to the towers north end and soil being removed from the beneath the north end resulted in the tower leaning back to that end reducing the buildings tilt.