The Leaning Tower of Pisa is an eight-story tower in Italy that leans approximately 14.5 feet from the center. It was built in the 12th century and began to lean during construction. Attempts to correct the tilt caused it to lean in the opposite direction. Modern attempts to stabilize the tower caused it to sink further, but it was eventually stabilized in 2001.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is an eight-story, 51-foot (15.5-meter) tower in Pisa, Italy, that, from the seventh floor, leans approximately 14.5 feet (4.4 meters) out from the center. It was built as a bell tower in the 12th century and began to lean to the north during construction. Attempts to correct the tilt during further construction caused the tower to lean towards the south instead. Further attempts to correct the tilt may have nearly caused the tower to collapse. Despite this, the Leaning Tower of Pisa continues to attract tourists from all over the world.
The construction of the tower was started in 1173 by Bonnano Pisano. After five years, with the construction of the third floor, the tower began to lean towards the north. The construction was abandoned to allow the land to settle and to allow Pisa to concentrate on a war in which it was involved. About 90 years later, three more floors were built by Giovanni de Simone, whose work caused the tower to lean towards the south. In 1372, almost 200 years after construction began, the bell tower was erected by Tommano Simone.
Over the years, many people have attempted to correct the lean of the tower. Giovanni de Simone tried to stem the lean by building the floors parallel to the ground rather than proportionate to the rest of the building. This correction instead caused the Leaning Tower of Pisa to lean to the south instead of to the north. Another attempt to correct the tilt, ordered by Benito Mussolini, was to drill holes in the foundations and fill them with concrete. That fix only caused the tower to sink further.
Modern attempts to stabilize the structure have caused the Leaning Tower of Pisa to sink further. In 1995, the architects tried freezing the ground with liquid nitrogen so they could work on the tower without the ground collapsing. The attempt was to try and use metal bars to stabilize the tower. Ground freezing actually allowed holes to form in the ground around the tower. This attempt caused the tower to lean as much as it would in two years.
However, the leaning tower of Pisa was eventually stabilized. In 1999, John Burland, a British engineering professor, suggested removing the soil from the topmost part of the building. The restoration work was completed in 2001. After this construction was completed, the tower hung until 1838.
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