Leaning Tower of Pisa

Bonnano Pisano, an Italian engineer, began to work on a bell tower for the cathedral in Pisa in 1174. Today the tower has become a famous tourist attraction and one of the most famous structures in the world. It became famous because of a mistake.
Three stories were built and the tower began to lean. The soil was soft and the thick foundation was not strong enough to support its weight. Construction was stopped for almost a hundred years and in 1275 it began again. The tower was finally finished in the 14th century, but each year it leans 1.25 millimeters.
In 1934, the Italian government pumped concrete under the base to try to correct the leaning, but the leaning increased.
The great astronomer, mathematician and physicist Galileo was born in Pisa. He made some of his experiments concerning the speed of falling objects from the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Interesting facts
– Project creator remains unknown, but the architects of the tower were Bonanno Pisano and Wilhelm von Innsbruck.
– The tower of white marble has 294 steps.
– Its height is 56.7 meters.
– The weight of the tower is about 14 454 tons.
– It has eight floors.
– The tower has seven bells. It is one of the most stunning bell tower in Europe.
– Many people believe that the tower is a separate attraction, but in fact it is part of the ensemble of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.
– There are several tombs of famous figures (for example Henry VII) inside the tower.
– In 1260, the construction of the Tower of Pisa was led by Giovanni di Simone.
– Finally, in 1360 Tommaso Pisano completed the construction of the Tower of Pisa – one of the most popular attractions in Italy.