Buzz
On a sunny day in March, after an hour-long train journey from the neighboring city of Florence, I found myself face to face with the renowned leaning tower of Pisa.
Pisa's Leaning Tower – A Twist of Fate
Certainly, no one is unfamiliar with the name Pisa – the leaning tower recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. I believe everyone has at least once glimpsed the image of the tower somewhere in books, newspapers, or movies. Famous as it is, I have always wondered what makes the tower's structure so peculiar. The curiosity about why the tower leans prompted me to take a train journey to visit this beautiful land whenever the opportunity arose.
Stepping into the Piazza del Miracoli (the colorful square) where the leaning tower of Pisa stands, all I could do was exclaim, 'Oh, it's beautiful!'. Not just me, but also my travel companions and other tourists alike, everyone marvels at the beauty of the structures in this charming courtyard.
Most people focus their attention on the peculiar leaning tower, but few notice that the tower is just one of four structures within the Piazza del Miracoli, including a church, a baptistery, a cemetery, and the bell tower. You will be surprised to learn that the Pisa tower was originally built as a bell tower to complement the church. Yet, look at how this small bell tower has brought fame to the Pisa region and even the entire country of Italy!
The Story of Pisa's Leaning Tower began in 1173 when construction commenced. Five years later, the new bell tower was completed with three out of eight floors as per the blueprint. However, at this point, the entire tower started leaning northward. Despite completing all eight floors and numerous unsuccessful rescue efforts, each passing year saw the tower lean a bit more. By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees, with a height difference of 4.6 meters between the tower's top and base. But fret not about the tower collapsing because in 2008, another effort straightened the tower by 48cm, marking the first time the tower ceased movement in 800 years. Furthermore, experts estimate that the Leaning Tower of Pisa will remain stable for at least another 200 years, making it perfectly safe to visit at this time.
Explaining the gradual leaning of the tower over time lies in the geographical features of the city of Pisa. The city sits on soft ground consisting mainly of clay, sand, and mud. Additionally, inaccurate calculations by architects also contribute to the peculiar appearance of the tower as we see it today.
In Italy, there's a quirky rumor: if you're a student and climb all 274 steps to touch the top of the Pisa Tower, you'll... face difficulties in graduating! It may sound unrelated, but with the mindset 'better safe than sorry,' I decided to admire Pisa from the outside, even though I regretfully missed the chance to climb to the top for a panoramic view of the city.
The famous Piazza del Miracoli is considered an extremely important religious center. Hence, the structures here symbolize significant stages in each person's life. The Baptistery represents birth, the Santa Maria Assunta church signifies life, and the cemetery (Camposanto) unmistakably represents death. The architecture both inside and outside these structures is incredibly special and beautiful, leaving you undoubtedly in awe.
Because they were built on soft ground, if you observe closely, you'll notice that the church and the baptistery aren't perfectly straight either. However, these two structures were constructed on a larger area, preventing them from leaning entirely like the Pisa Tower. Hence, they cannot match the fame of the Leaning Tower.
A 'never-ending' day in Rome
The final destination in our European exploration led us to Italy, where 'all roads lead to Rome.'
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Reference: Travel Guide Mytour
MytourApril 30, 2018
