{"id":9902,"date":"2016-10-03T12:09:47","date_gmt":"2016-10-03T11:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walks.friday.ie\/?p=9902"},"modified":"2025-10-02T13:44:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T12:44:58","slug":"leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts","title":{"rendered":"The Leaning Tower of Pisa &#8211; 11 Amazing Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opapisa.it\/en\/square-of-miracles\/tower\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Leaning Tower of Pisa<\/a>, with equal helpings of beauty and folly, is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Moreover, behind that famous tilt is a fascinating history, including plundered loot, treacherous subsoil, hundreds of years of engineering missteps &#8211; and one proud Italian dictator. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you&#8217;ve ever wondered how history&#8217;s most famous architectural mishap went down, here are<strong> 11 fascinating things about the Leaning Tower of Pisa.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21864\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21864\" class=\"wp-image-21864 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts-vertical.jpg\" alt=\"Learn about the leaning tower of Pisa facts \" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts-vertical.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts-vertical-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts-vertical-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21864\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It doesn&#8217;t matter how many times you&#8217;ve seen it, looking at it in person will always amaze you. Photo credit: Ray Harrington<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#The_tower_was_built_to_show_off_with_stolen_money\" >The tower was built to show off (with stolen money)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#The_lean_didnt_happen_overnight\" >The lean\u00a0didn&#8217;t happen overnight<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#Its_not_the_only_leaning_tower_in_Pisa\" >It\u2019s not the only leaning tower in Pisa<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#The_tower_has_leaned_in_multiple_directions\" >The tower has leaned in multiple directions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#The_lean_creates_some_interesting_imbalances\" >The lean creates some interesting imbalances<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#Wars_and_economic_strife_may_have_saved_the_tower\" >Wars and economic strife may have saved the tower<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#You_can_climb_to_the_top\" >You can climb to the top<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#The_seven_bells_at_the_top_have_not_rung_since_last_century\" >The seven bells at the top have not rung since last century<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#Mussolini_hated_the_tower_and_made_it_worse\" >Mussolini hated the tower and made it worse<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#The_Allies_intended_to_destroy_the_tower_during_WWII\" >The Allies intended to destroy the tower during WWII<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#The_tower_is_currently_stable\" >The tower is currently stable<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#FAQ_%E2%80%93_Visiting_the_Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa\" >FAQ \u2013 Visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#How_much_does_it_cost_to_visit_the_Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa\" >How much does it cost to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#Are_there_restrictions_for_climbing_the_Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa\" >Are there restrictions for climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#When_is_the_best_season_to_visit_the_Leaning_Tower\" >When is the best season to visit the Leaning Tower?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts\/#What_time_of_day_is_best_for_climbing_the_Leaning_Tower\" >What time of day is best for climbing the Leaning Tower?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_tower_was_built_to_show_off_with_stolen_money\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The tower was built to show off (with stolen money)<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The 12th century was a good one for Pisa. The city&#8217;s military, commercial, and political importance grew as their once small seaport became a regional powerhouse. Of course, l<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">ike any prosperous medieval Italian city, Pisa began to invest its new wealth in the construction grand buildings. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">After sacking <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/all-around-italy\/things-to-do-in-palermo-sicily-the-walks-of-italy-insiders-guide\">Palermo<\/a> in 1063, the city&#8217;s government needed a place to display all of the treasures that adventurers had brought back from Sicily, so they decided to construct the &#8220;Field of Miracles,&#8221; also known as the Square of Miracles, which would eventually be home to a Cathedral, Baptistery, cemetery, and one very tall bell tower. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In fact, the bell tower was meant to be the tallest of its age, and probably would have been if circumstances hadn&#8217;t thrown a wrench into the works.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21861\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21861\" class=\"wp-image-21861 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Field-of-Miracles-Pisa.jpg\" alt=\"Field of Miracles, Leaning Tower of Pisa facts\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Field-of-Miracles-Pisa.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Field-of-Miracles-Pisa-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21861\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Field of Miracles was built to show off the growing power of the city, but the tower was never meant to be leaning.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_lean_didnt_happen_overnight\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The lean\u00a0didn&#8217;t happen overnight<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Given that the name <strong>Pisa<\/strong> comes from the Greek word for &#8220;marshy land,&#8221; you would think that the cathedral&#8217;s architects would have taken the subsoil into account while building a very tall bell tower. Spoiler alert: they didn&#8217;t. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">By giving the tower a shallow and relatively heavy foundation, they inadvertently doomed it from the outset. <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">t wasn&#8217;t until the second story was being built that the tower began to sink on one side. Unfortunately, by then it was too late to turn back. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As construction continued, the builders tried to offset their mistake by adding taller columns and arches on the south side of the tower. But, by the time they reached the fourth story (out of a planned eight), they had to make the arches on the south side a full two inches taller than those on the north, and the tower <\/span><em style=\"color: #000000;\">still<\/em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0continued to lean. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Unsure of what to do next, the builders halted construction for almost a century.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21862\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21862\" class=\"wp-image-21862 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-facts.jpg\" alt=\"Leaning tower of Pisa facts\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-facts.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-facts-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21862\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The lean certainly didn&#8217;t happen overnight, but the builders knew about it during construction.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Its_not_the_only_leaning_tower_in_Pisa\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It\u2019s not the only leaning tower in Pisa<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Due to the soft subsoil of the entire area, there are actually several leaning towers of Pisa. You can see two others in Pisa\u2019s <em>Borgo Stretto<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The bell tower of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.turismo.pisa.it\/en\/culture\/detail\/Chiesa-di-San-Nicola-00001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Church of St. Nicola<\/a> is perhaps the most famous, after the official Leaning Tower of Pisa. Built around the same time as <em>the<\/em>\u00a0tower, in 1170, this octagonal bell tower also boasts a slight but unmistakable slouch. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There\u2019s also the bell tower at the church of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.turismo.pisa.it\/cultura\/dettaglio\/Chiesa-di-San-Michele-degli-Scalzi-00002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">St. Michele degli Scalzi<\/a>, located on <em>Viale delle Piagge<\/em>. Actually, the name \u201cPiagge\u201d comes from the Latin for \u201clow plains prone to flooding.\u201d For all the genius of medieval Pisans, they weren&#8217;t particularly good at heeding historical warnings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21863\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21863\" class=\"wp-image-21863 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/San-Michele-degli-Scalzi-Pisa.jpg\" alt=\"San Michele degli Scalzi in Pisa\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/San-Michele-degli-Scalzi-Pisa.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/San-Michele-degli-Scalzi-Pisa-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21863\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In San Michele degli Scalzi, you have to look twice to make sure what you&#8217;re seeing is real. Photo credit: Rob Oo<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_tower_has_leaned_in_multiple_directions\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The tower has leaned in multiple directions<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Multiple engineers tried, over hundreds of years to correct the famous lean. With little to no success.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">When construction began again on the third story, in the 13th century, engineers tried to stop the tilt by building straight upwards, but the center of gravity was thrown off and the tower simply began to lean in a different direction. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As construction continued, the tower eventually settled back into its southward tilt, where it has stayed ever since.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21860\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21860\" class=\"wp-image-21860 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa.jpg\" alt=\"The Leaning Tower of Pisa facts\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21860\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mishap made the Leaning Tower of Pisa famous, and now it&#8217;s a symbol of Italy.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_lean_creates_some_interesting_imbalances\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The lean creates some interesting imbalances<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The leaning tower of Pisa was supposed to be 60 meters tall (196.85 feet). After the lean, however, the highest side of the tower reaches a mere 56.67 meters (about 186 feet), while the lowest side is 55.86m, or 183 feet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">By 1990 the tower had reached a tilt of 5.5 degrees, nearly 15 feet from its base, and enough to topple it over, by most calculations! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Luckily, this considerable tilt was enough to overcome the world-famous inertia of Italian bureaucracy and kick start a massive restoration program that reduced the tilt to <em>only<\/em> 3.97 degrees. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Because of the tower\u2019s original list, the north side staircase has something like 296 steps to the top, while the south side has just 294.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21866\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21866\" class=\"wp-image-21866 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-sunset.jpg\" alt=\"Leaning tower of Pisa sunset\" width=\"1200\" height=\"696\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-sunset.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-sunset-768x445.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21866\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">There was a time where it could&#8217;ve fell for real. Photo credit: Davide Ragusa<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wars_and_economic_strife_may_have_saved_the_tower\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Wars and economic strife may have saved the tower<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Debt and war typically have not been\u00a0boons to great construction projects in Italy, but in the case of the Leaning Tower of Pisa,\u00a0they may have just been a saving grace. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Some structural engineers theorize that continued delays in construction over 200 years may have given the soil underneath the already-slightly-leaning tower time to compress, ultimately saving it from toppling over.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21867\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21867\" class=\"wp-image-21867 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Tower-of-Pisa-in-Square-of-Miracles.jpg\" alt=\"Tower of Pisa facts\" width=\"1200\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Tower-of-Pisa-in-Square-of-Miracles.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Tower-of-Pisa-in-Square-of-Miracles-768x546.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21867\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Were delays another of the factors that saves the Tower of Pisa from falling? Maybe. Photo credit: Ozan Tabako\u011flu<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_can_climb_to_the_top\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You can climb to the top<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>That&#8217;s right! The most famous structurally unsound building in the world is open to visitors.<\/p>\n<p>Seriously though, since its restoration and slight un-tilting, the structure&#8217;s integrity is monitored constantly. The building hosts large numbers of visitors every day, so if you want to climb to the top, you should <a href=\"https:\/\/pisaticket.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">book tickets in advance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21868\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21868\" class=\"wp-image-21868 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Top-of-the-Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-facts.jpg\" alt=\"Top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa\" width=\"1200\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Top-of-the-Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-facts.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Top-of-the-Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-facts-768x546.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21868\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It is still possible to climb to the top of the Tower of Pisa. Photo credit: Dresden Benke<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_seven_bells_at_the_top_have_not_rung_since_last_century\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The seven bells at the top have not rung since last century<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Each of these large bells (the largest weighs nearly 8,000 pounds) represents a musical note from the major scale. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Even though you can still see them if you climb to the top of the tower, they haven\u2019t tolled since the 20th century. By now, you can probably guess why. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Restorers and engineers worried that their movements would make the tower lean even more.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21869\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21869\" class=\"wp-image-21869 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-Bells.jpg\" alt=\"Leaning tower of Pisa bells\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-Bells.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-Bells-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21869\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">These bells haven&#8217;t tolled since the 20th century, as it may be dangerous. Photo credit: Nicola Castello<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mussolini_hated_the_tower_and_made_it_worse\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Mussolini hated the tower and made it worse<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Italy\u2019s 20th-century dictator, Benito Mussolini, was ashamed of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He considered its mistaken construction and subsequent lean a national disgrace, an embarrassment to Italy\u2019s reputation. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">So, as with many of the things that he considered shortcoming of Italy, he set out to fix it. <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Unlike some of his other projects, like draining the swamps of Sicily, it didn&#8217;t go well. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The idea was to drill hundreds of holes in the base of the tower and pump in grout and mortar to, essentially, ballast the entire structure and set it straight. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In reality, all this accomplished was to create an even heavier base that made the tower lean even more than it had before.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21870\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21870\" class=\"wp-image-21870 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-base.jpg\" alt=\"Leaning tower of Pisa base\" width=\"1200\" height=\"829\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-base.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-base-768x531.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21870\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trying to fix it, Mussolini made the tower lean even more. Photo credit: Jbribeiro1<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Allies_intended_to_destroy_the_tower_during_WWII\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Allies intended to destroy the tower during WWII<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">American soldiers had orders to tear down any and all buildings in Italy that could serve as lookout points, or \u201cnests,\u201d for enemy snipers during World War Two. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In fact, the Germans who were occupying Italy at the time did often use the tower as a lookout, but it\u2019s said that when the Allies arrived they were so impressed by the beauty of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the surrounding Field of Miracles that they decided not to level the area.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21871\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21871\" class=\"wp-image-21871 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Square-of-Miracles.jpg\" alt=\"Square of Miracles Pisa\" width=\"1200\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Square-of-Miracles.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Square-of-Miracles-768x546.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21871\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Entering the Square of Miracles is breathtaking, now and always. Photo credit: Siegfried Poepperl<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_tower_is_currently_stable\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The tower is currently stable<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The tower has survived centuries of well-meaning but misguided attempts to right it, including various engineers who added levels and arches of all different heights, and one overzealous group who dug around the tower to open an underground tour (which only helped to fill the area with even more water). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">But someone finally got it right in the 21st century, and as of 2001, the tower was officially declared stable for at least the next 200 years. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 2008 engineers found that the tower is officially no longer moving. The first time in its history that it hasn\u2019t been slowly listing to one side. 200 years from now, let\u2019s just hope we have the technology to save the tower for another 200.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21872\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21872\" class=\"wp-image-21872 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-renovation.jpg\" alt=\"Leaning tower of Pisa finished renovations\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-renovation.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Leaning-tower-of-Pisa-renovation-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21872\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We&#8217;re happy to know that the Leaning Tower of Pisa is safe for many years to come. Photo credit: Pauline Lu<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 data-start=\"85\" data-end=\"131\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ_%E2%80%93_Visiting_the_Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"85\" data-end=\"129\">FAQ \u2013 Visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"133\" data-end=\"338\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_does_it_cost_to_visit_the_Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"133\" data-end=\"197\">How much does it cost to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"133\" data-end=\"338\">As of 2025, a standard ticket to climb the tower costs around \u20ac20\u2013\u20ac25. Tickets should be purchased in advance online to guarantee entry. You can also check here for some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opapisa.it\/en\/tickets\/a-few-words-of-advice-before-you-buy-your-ticket\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">useful advise<\/a> before purchasing your tickets.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"786\" data-end=\"1053\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_there_restrictions_for_climbing_the_Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"786\" data-end=\"855\">Are there restrictions for climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"786\" data-end=\"1053\">Yes, children under 8 years old cannot climb the tower, and those between 8\u201318 must be accompanied by an adult. Large bags and backpacks are not permitted, but lockers are provided at the site.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"340\" data-end=\"577\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_is_the_best_season_to_visit_the_Leaning_Tower\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"340\" data-end=\"398\">When is the best season to visit the Leaning Tower?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"340\" data-end=\"577\">The tower is open year-round, but spring (April\u2013June) and autumn (September\u2013October) offer the most comfortable weather and lighter crowds compared to the peak summer season.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"784\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_time_of_day_is_best_for_climbing_the_Leaning_Tower\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"642\">What time of day is best for climbing the Leaning Tower?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"784\">Early morning or late afternoon is recommended to avoid the largest tour groups and enjoy softer light for photos in Piazza dei Miracoli.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"786\" data-end=\"1053\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"733\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12003\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sustainable-travel-italy-walks-tote-bag-1.jpg\" alt=\"Sustainable tourism ethical travel in Italy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sustainable-travel-italy-walks-tote-bag-1.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sustainable-travel-italy-walks-tote-bag-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Make the most of your visit to Pisa by joining a guided <strong data-start=\"56\" data-end=\"101\">Florence to Pisa Day Trip with City Walls<\/strong>, complete with skip-the-line access to the Cathedral and Baptistery. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/florence-tours\/pisa-tour-from-florence\/\">Click here to discover more and reserve your spot<\/a> and see the Leaning Tower and beyond with expert guides.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Leaning Tower of Pisa, with its equal helpings of beauty and folly, is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":9945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[20,101,69,116],"ppma_author":[161],"class_list":["post-9902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-culture","tag-attractions","tag-culture","tag-history","tag-pisa"],"authors":[{"term_id":161,"user_id":40,"is_guest":0,"slug":"ginamussio","display_name":"Gina Mussio","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d9497ce1b0417babd82886ad23b18998?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"","last_name":"Mussio","first_name":"Gina","job_title":"","description":"Gina is a Midwesterner living in Lombardy, Italy where she writes about Italian culture, travel and food. She is a bilingual primary school teacher by day, forever interested in developing cross-culture communication skills across languages. Gina loves touring Italy's beautiful and tiny borghi with her family and exploring Italy's culture through its culinary history."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9902"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9902"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24045,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9902\/revisions\/24045"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9902"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=9902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}