Leaning Tower of Pisa -La Torre

de Pisa -Italy

•
Leaning Tower of Pisa •
 !A humble tower and too many detractors

Like all other structures the Tower of Pisa was also built to
stand straight, but the fate of this particular one is to stand
leaning for all its life .This lean turned out to be the tower’s
identity and the credit of the Whole Pisa city .There were
opinions from detractors that this structure was originally
built to lean which were subsequently proved wrong after
testing the ground soil and other details .There are more
accusations against the leaning tower like a useless
structure, it pauses danger to tourists etc .Unmindful of all
these this tower is keeping on leaning and pulling crowds to
.the city of Pisa and bringing its cash registers ringing
 ?Who built it

Work for this structure started on August 9, 1173 ,there is

some dispute regarding the architect of this slanting tower
which was intended to be the bell-tower for the Cathedral of
Pisa .The generally accepted opinion points to the names like
Guglielmo, Dioti Salvi or Bonanno Pisano .The styles adopted
by these architects with their other works have been subject to
.study and since no conclusive decisions have been arrived at
 .Stats

This tower (official name Torre Pendente di Pisa) is located in Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa
Italy; is an 8 storied tower, it is 55.86 meters (183.27 feet) in height and its famous
(notorious) slant is 5.5 degrees. That means that its the top is away from its base by 4.5
meters. The width of the wall at the base is 4.09 meters and that at the top is 2.48
meters altogether there are 294 steps that lead to the top. The first floor is supported by
pillars with classical capitals. This entire tower is estimated to weigh 14,500 tons. Its
foundation is just 3 meters in height and built in loose and unstable soil (reason for the
slant).z
 Work calendar

The Construction of the Tower of Pisa is a two

centuries old saga and closely related with the history
of Pisa ;which was not in good relation with its
neighbors like Florence ,Genoa etc .Wars between
these neighbors were frequent and construction works
were to be deferred more than two times .Detractors
of this tower say that the construction of this tower
!itself was to boast before these neighboring counties
.August9,1173 work started
Third floor completed and the tower began to,1178
.lean and the work got halted for about a century
1272work resumed under Giovannido Simone .He
compensated the tilt by making one side longer there
.by giving the tower a curve
1284Work had to be again halted as in a war the
Pisans were defeated by Genoans in the battle of
.Meloria
.1319The seventh floor was completed
1372Bell chamber was completed by Tommaso
di Andrea Pisano, he is said to be responsible
for adding the Romanesque style(The
architectural style equivalent to the Norman,
prevailed in Europe from 5th to 9th century
characterized by round arches, massive
vaulting, heavy piers, columns and walls with
.small windows).to the tower
The bell chamber contains seven bells one each
.representing a musical note
1655The largest bell was installed in the
.chamber
.major renovation undertaken,1838-40
1934Benito Mussolini got the base of the tower
filled with concrete to straighten it up, in fact this
..work made the tower to sink further

January 7, 1990 Entry to this tower was closed to

the public and massive strengthening works
undertaken, the bells were removed to lessen the
.weight
December 15,2001 reopened for public after
work and it was certified that the tower will remain
.stable for about 300 more years
 .

One of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World.

Leaning Tower of Pisa Map courtsey: utexas.edu

This wonderful tower; approved by UNESCO as World Heritage Site; ‘that keeps on tilting
without falling’ it also has been selected as one of the Seven Manmade Wonders of the
World. One may be shocked to read that this world heritage was on the verge of
destruction during the Second World War. Nazis took hiding in it and it was discovered by
the Allies, by the fortune of the whole world the American officer deputed to deal with the
affairs did not call for the cannon fire. Virtually the existence of this World Heritage Site
hung on a single word from that unknown officer who deserves the status of a world war
hero.
 )

(Galileo Galilee; Feb 15, 1564 – Jan 8, 1642(.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa has one more tryst with history as Galileo Galilee also a native
of Pisa used this tower to prove his theory by dropping two cannon balls of different
weights and established before the public that mass of a material does not affect
acceleration due to gravity (things of different weights if dropped will fall in the same
speed). Before this experiment the whole world thought that heavier fell in greater speed if
dropped. This Tower of Pisa has seen much events since its construction and survived
9centuries keeping the world in tender-hooks about will fall and will not fall, let us hope it
stands for ever sp that generations to come may also have a tender hook, will it or will it
not?!!!