The most famous building in Pisa, and one of the most famous in the world, is the Leaning Tower. Construction was started in the 12th century, but it was only two centuries later that it got finished. At the moment the more than 50 meters high Torre Pendente leans over about 5 meters.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Address, Opening hours and Admission
Opening hours: January: 10.00-17.00 hrs; February: 09.40-17.40 hrs; (until 25) March: 09.00-18.00 hrs; 25 March-17 June: 08.30-20.00 hrs; 17 June-31 August: 08.30-22.00 hrs; September: 08.30-20.00 hrs; October: 09.00-19.00 hrs; November: 09.40-17.40 hrs; December: 10.00-17.00 hrs. (The box office is open until 30 minutes before closing time.) Closed: Never. Entrance fee: 18 Euro. (Children under 8 are not allowed to climb the tower.) Address: Piazza del Duomo, snc – Pisa. Telephone: The Torre Pendente cannot be reserved by telephone. Public transport: Bus: 4, 21, E. (Opening times may vary during the Covid-crisis.)
History and description Leaning Tower of Pisa
Because of its subsoil, the tower is not the only leaning building on the Campo dei Miracoli, but it is of course the most eye-catching one.
Work on the tower took a little longer than suspected: although a frieze indicates that construction had already started in 1173, it was not until the year 1350 that the seven bells were hung in the tower. With this the construction was considered to be finished.
Even before the third floor was completed, the Torre Pendente started to lean. Nevertheless, the construction was finished.
The last restoration works were completed in 2008 and should keep the tower standing for at least the next 200 years.
The total height of the Tower of Pisa, including the bell chamber (which has a smaller diameter than the other 7 floors), is 54.5 meters.
When the tower was only just finished, it already leaned 1.4 meters at its highest point. In 1993 this was 5.4 meters.
Although the subsoil is very loose and partly consists of silt, the foundation of the tower is only a 3 meter deep stone raft.
The tower has a spiral staircase that winds around the hollow central part. Six of the eight floors consist of marble galleries on the outside.
To the right of the entrance there is an incision of a typical Pisan ship from when the city was an important naval power.