Digital English

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Torre Pendente di Pisa in Italian) is one of the great icons of Europe. Begun in 1173, the bell tower of Pisa Cathedral is famous for the shifting of its sandy foundations that has led to a significant lean of 5.5 degrees.

History

The campanile was begun in 1173 as the final structure of the magnificent cathedral complex on the Campo dei Miracoli in Pisa. The settling of its foundations and resulting lean became apparent before it was even finished - after only three stories were completed. The engineer, belived to be Bonnano Pisano, tried to compensate by making the new stories a little taller on one side. However, the extra materials caused the tower to sink even more.

Work was suspended several times as engineers worked to find a solution, but the tower was still leaning when it was completed in 1350. The architectural design remained unchanged throughout, as later builders stayed faithful to the original Romanesque designs.

Over the years various attempts have made to straighten the tower, including the injection of cement into the foundations and various types of bracing, but in the late 20th century the structure was still subsiding at the rate of 0.05 inches (1.2 mm) per year and in serious danger of collapse.

In 1990, the Leaning Tower was closed and the bells were silenced as engineers undertook a major straightening project. The main technique was to siphon more than 70 tons of earth from underneath the foundations while supporting the tower with steel cables and lead weights. The work was completed in May 2001 and has decreased the lean by 17 inches (44 cm) to 13.5 feet (4.1 metres).

What to See

Made of gleaming white and pastel marbles, the Leaning Tower has a diameter of 52 feet (16 m) at the base and would stand 185 feet (56 metres) high if it were straight. It currently leans 5.5 degrees, which amounts to about 15 feet or 4.5 metres from vertical.

The famous lean of the bell tower often overshadows its magnificent architecture, which is an exceptional example of the Romanesque style. The round tower is made of fine multicolored marble and has eight stories in all, each surrounded by an arcaded gallery. The repeating registers of arches give the tower an exceptionally harmonious and rhythmic appearance.

The bottom register of the tower has a blind arcade and an ornately carved portal, which features grotesque sculptures of animals. The second through seventh stories have open arcaded galleries and the eighth story houses the bell chamber. The medieval bells remain in place, but for stability reasons are no longer rung.

Inside the tower is a 294-step spiral staircase leading to the bell chamber. Happily visitors are once again allowed to climb the tower in small groups, which provides not only a close look at the iconic tower but a fine view of the Piazza del Duomo.

Quick Facts

Words

arcaded /ɑːˈkeɪd.ɪd/ US /ɑːr-/ adjective decorated with arches

arch /ɑːtʃ/ US /ɑːrtʃ/ noun [C] structure with a curved top that is supported by straight sides, sometimes forming an entrance or built as a monument

blind arcade noun [C] decorative archway built onto a wall but having no actual opening

brace /breɪs/ verb [T] (technical) to make sth stronger or more solid by supporting it with sth

campanile /ˌkæm.pəˈnili/ noun [C] a tall tower with a bell at the top, especially one near a church but not a part of it

carve /kɑːv/ US /kɑːrv/ verb [I or T] to make something by cutting into especially wood or stone, or to cut into the surface of stone, wood, etc.

cathedral /kəˈθiː.drəl/ noun [C] a very large, usually stone, building for Christian worship, which is the largest and most important church of a diocese(=area)

cement /sɪˈment/ noun [U] a gray powder made by burning clay and lime that sets hard when it is mixed with water. Cement is used in building to stick bricks together and to make very hard surfaces

chamber /ˈtʃeɪm.bəʳ/ US /-bɚ/ noun [C] (in compounds) a room used for the particular purpose that is mentioned

compensate /ˈkɒm.pən.seɪt/ US /ˈkɑːm-/ verb [I] to provide sth good to balance or reduce the bad effects of damage, loss, etc.

complex /ˈkɒm.pleks/ US /ˈkɑːm-/ noun [C] a large building with various connected rooms or a related group of buildings

diameter /daɪˈæm.ɪ.təʳ/ US /-ə.ţɚ/ noun [C or U] (the length of) a straight line that reaches from one point on the edge of a round shape or object, through its centre, to a point on the opposite edge

elegant /ˈel.ɪ.gənt/ adjective (of clothes, places and things) attractive and designed well; stylish

foundation /faʊnˈdeɪ.ʃən/ noun [C often plural] the part of a structure of a building that is below the ground and supports the rest of it

gleaming /ˈgliː.mɪŋ/ adjective bright and shiny from being cleaned

grotesque /grəʊˈtesk/ US /groʊ-/ adjective strange and unpleasant, especially in a ridiculous or slightly frightening way

harmonious /hɑːˈməʊ.ni.əs/ US /hɑːrˈmoʊ-/ adjective arranged together in a pleasing way so that each part goes well with the others

icon /ˈaɪ.kɒn/ US /-kɑːn/ noun [C] a very famous person or thing considered as representing a set of beliefs or a way of life

iconic /aɪˈkɒn.ɪk/ US /-ˈkɑː.nɪk/ adjective acting as a sign or symbol of sth

magnificent /mægˈnɪf.ɪ.sənt/ adjective very good, beautiful or deserving to be admired; splendid

marble /ˈmɑː.bļ/ US /ˈmɑːr-/ noun [U] a type of very hard rock which has a pattern of lines going through it, feels cold and becomes smooth and shiny when cut and polished

medieval /ˌmed.iˈiː.vəl/ adjective [usually before noun] connected with the Middle Ages (about AD 1000 to AD 1450)

ornate /ɔːˈneɪt/ US /ɔːr-/ adjective having a lot of complicated decoration

overshadow /ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/ US /ˌoʊ.vɚˈʃæd.oʊ/ verb [T often passive] to make an event less enjoyable than it should be; cloud

pastel /ˈpæs.təl/ US /pæsˈtel/ adjective [before noun] light and pale

portal /ˈpɔː.təl/ US /ˈpɔːr.ţəl/ noun [C usually plural] (formal or literary) a large, impressive gate or entrance to a building

Romanesque /ˌrəʊ.məˈnesk/ US /ˌroʊ-/ adjective relating to the style of building which was common in Western and Southern Europe from the 10th to the 12th centuries

rhythmic /ˈrɪð.mɪk/ adjective having a regular pattern of sounds, movements or events

sculpture /ˈskʌlp.tʃəʳ/ US /-tʃɚ/ noun [C or U] a work of art that is a solid figure or object made by carving or shaping wood, stone, clay, metal, etc.

sink /sɪŋk/ verb [T] sank or US ALSO sunk, sunk (of an object) to move slowly downward

siphon /ˈsaɪ.fən/ verb [T usually + adverb or preposition]  to remove liquid from a container using a siphon

spiral /ˈspaɪə.rəl/ US /ˈspaɪr.əl/ adjective [before noun] moving in a continuous curve that winds around a central point

stability /stəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ US /-ə.ţi/ noun [U] the quality or state of being steady and not changing

subside /səbˈsaɪd/ verb [I] (of land or a building) to sink to a lower level; to sink lower into the ground

suspend /səˈspend/ verb [T]  to officially stop sth for a time; to prevent sth from being active, used, etc. for a time

undertake /ˌʌn.dəˈteɪk/ US /-dɚ-/ verb [T] undertook, undertaken to make yourself responsible for sth and start doing it