Interesting events you may not know about the Tower of Pisa

It is the independent bell tower of the Cathedral of the city of Pisa and is known worldwide for its involuntary slope. The Tower of Pisa is the third oldest structure in Duomo Square, Pisa (Piazza del Duomo) after the Cathedral and the circular-shaped Baptistry of Pisa, while next door is the Cemetery. CORVERSE The slope of the Tower is due to the shaky terrain, combined with an ancient river located below. The height of the medieval building is 56 m from the lower side of the ground and 57 m from the highest. The width of the walls of its base is 2.44 m while its weight is estimated at 14.450 tons. The tower features 296 or 294 steps as the seventh floor has two less on the north side of the staircase, while studies show that its slope is growing little every year. CORVERSE Let us see interesting things together that you may not know about the famous tourist attraction of Italy, which attracts thousands of tourists every year, who pose right next to the Tower, resulting in the illusion that they are trying to “support it” with their hands. Included in the modern wonders of the world The Tower of Pisa is considered an architectural miracle and has become known worldwide for its unique inclination. It is located next to the Cathedral of Pisa, the baptistery of Pisa and the Camposanto Monumente (the Memorial Cemetery) in Piazza dei Miracoli (Plazza of Miracles). The Tower of Pisa is among many lists of modern wonders of the world, along with other monumental structures, such as the Great Wall of China and the Colosseum. What’s the reason he leans The Tower began to lean after construction had advanced to the second floor, in 1178. This was because of the simple three-metre base designed and built on weak and unstable subsoil, a design that was incomplete from the beginning, creating the famous inclined structure we know today. It took hundreds of years to complete The construction of the Tower took place in three stages and lasted nearly 200 years. Construction was discontinued for almost a century, due to the continued involvement of the Republic of Pisa in battles with Genoa, Lucca, and Florence. This gave the ground the time needed to stabilize. Otherwise, the Tower would surely have collapsed. In 1198, on the third floor of unfinished, still, temporary clocks were installed. In 1272, construction was undertaken by Giovanni Di Simone, architect of the Pisa Memorial Cemetery (Camposanto). In an attempt to repair the slope, engineers built floors with one side being taller than the other. This resulted in the Tower being curved. The development of construction ceased again in 1284, when the people of Pisa were defeated by the Genovese at the Battle of Meloria. The seventh floor was completed in 1319. The bell tower was finally added in 1372. It was built by Tomasso Di Andrea Pisano, who achieved the harmonization of the elements Gothic architecture of the bell with the Roman rhythm of the tower. He endured four strong earthquakes Despite the four strong earthquakes that have hit Italy over the centuries, the Tower of Pisa has remained unscathed. In 1908, Enceladus caused huge damage to homes and buildings in the surrounding area. Since then, scientists have concluded that the Tower absorbs vibrations, due to its rigid structure and soft subsoil. The biggest bell weighs as much as an elephant The Tower of Pisa was created as a bell tower and hosted seven large bells, representing the seven musical notes. The largest bell weighs about 3,600 pounds, about as much as a female African elephant. Despite the bells operating normally, the two heavier bells were silenced in early 1900 and removed to reduce weight. In the 1990s work was done to avoid its collapse Prior to the restoration work carried out between 1990s and 2001, the Tower had a tilt at an angle of 5.5 degrees in contrast to its current slope estimated at about 3.97 degrees. Galileo’s famous experiment may never have happened. According to 16th century reports, the Italian physicist Galileo used the Tower of Pisa to prove the following theory: When two bodies, with different weights, are left at the same height they will reach the ground at the same time. This particular story refers to a biography of Galileo by his pupil and assistant, Vicchencho Viviani. However, several historians have questioned the accuracy of this story, since Galileo has not referred to this experiment in any of his works published, but there is no reference to his unpublished writings either. Survived World War II The Tower of Pisa managed to survive during World War II, thanks to a 23-year-old U.S. soldier. The German soldiers used the Tower of Pisa as an observation post. However, Sergeant Leon Weckstein, decided not to order the destruction of the Tower in July 1944, after being impressed with his imposingness. UNESCO World Heritage Site The Tower of Pisa as well as neighbouring buildings such as the Cathedral, the Baptistry and the Cemetery are included in the World Heritage Sites of Piazza del Duomo, under the auspices of UNESCO (1987). He took a higher inclination after Mussolini intervened. In 1934, Italian dictator Mussolini decided that a tilting Tower is not the symbol that fits the country’s image. For this reason, he hired a team of engineers to straighten the Tower. Engineers drilled holes into the foundations and dropped 200 tons of cement. However, instead of correcting the problem, the Tower took a steeper slope.