At the dawn of the 12th century, in the Italian city of Pisa, on the very outskirts of the city, the construction of the Cathedral of the Mother of God of the Ascension began, and he would have been one of hundreds of other beautiful, but little-known Italian cathedrals, had it not been for his famous bell tower or, like her more often called the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Interesting facts
Here in it everything is unusual and outstanding, after all, it's not for nothing that it is on the Square of Miracles. Firstly, it is almost the only bell tower in the world, which stands at some distance from the cathedral itself, although this is more likely due to the project for building the square. Secondly, in its external design, some experts trace Muslim motifs, finding a certain, albeit distant similarity of the chapel with the minaret. But, nevertheless, it is not just one of the components of the ensemble of the Christian cathedral, but its main decoration.
Construction
Already at the very beginning of construction, which falls on 1173, it was found that clay soil under the chapel is prone to subsidence, so from the time of laying the foundation to the beginning of the main construction, exactly one year has passed. The bell tower was built in two hundred years, but since that moment the restoration work has been carried out continuously. In the end, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a seven-story building consisting of a base and a belfry itself.
Interiors
Inside the tower there are many covered galleries, connected by arches, which in turn are decorated with various ornaments. A huge hall with an open ceiling, its walls are lined with bas-reliefs depicting the inhabitants of the sea depths, three twisted stairs, and naturally the belfry, the largest bell weighs more than three and a half tons, and the oldest is more than four hundred years old.
The fall of the tower is
Today it is established that the difference between the levels of the foundation parts is more than two meters .But thanks to the fact that the center of gravity of the bell tower is located above the foundation, it continues to stand, although its deviation from the axis is already more than five degrees .Leaning Tower of Pisa is constantly in motion, then its bank increases, then, on the contrary, it returns to its former positions .All this is due, naturally, to ground displacement, as well as groundwater activity and human intervention .So in the century before last, it was decided to remove some of the soil, this led to devastating consequences, groundwater was washed up by a number of nearby structures .
In the middle of the 20th century, a special commission was set up, which included competent specialists, and which was called upon to save the Tower of Pisa from destruction. Now, various works on strengthening the building itself and the foundation are regularly held here, thanks to which the tower can stand for at least three hundred years more.
Report on the Tower of Pisa - $
Reviews of the Leaning Tower of Pisa (4)
Estimate 9
School dream. February 20, 2015
Kirpota
was here in February 2014
In the school textbook on geography, the first photo of Italy is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Since then, I definitely wanted to get to this wonder of the world. And take a picture next, of course. Of course, this is not completely original, but you know, from this general madness with the support of the falling tower of Pisa it is simply impossible to stay away. Looking at how whole groups of Asians by joint efforts pretend that with incredible difficulty they do not allow the tower to collapse, involuntarily you begin to smile. Moreover, it is possible that thanks to ... Read the whole review
Estimate 10
Informative! November 18, 2014
Sssmoscow
was here in January 2012
Pisa is really a small cozy town, which you can get around on foot and not even get tired. Well, by itself, you can not pass the Tower of Pisa, even if you really want. This is definitely the most important historical place in the city. The queue at the entrance to the tower was small (not many people wishing to pay 17 euros!), Although there are plenty of tourists near the falling miracle. Cash desks with a toilet and the ability to leave their belongings (something like amer storage) are next to the tower. The climb up is already interesting in itself ... Read the whole review
Estimate 10
Merry Tower August 11, 2014
Igira
was here in February 2013
By itself, the town of Pisa is very small and it is easy to find the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This is the most important and in my opinion the only attraction in the city. Prepare for the fact that people in the square where the tower rises will be many. But it does not spoil your impression, rather, on the contrary, it will create a special atmosphere. Usually there are a lot of young people, all fooling around, taking pictures, everything is very positive. Despite the fact that each person before reaching the Tower of Pisa, an infinite number ... Read the whole review
Estimate 10
An unusual tower !!! December 11 2013
Svetlanka777
was here in October 2011
Traveling in Italy, we could not miss all the famous city of Pisa, which is an unusual tower. We went with an excursion group from Milan. Arriving turned out to be a lot of tourists who crowded near the tower. The unusual tower is considered because it is inclined in comparison with other standing buildings. The deviation is 4 meters, and with time everything increases. It was built long ago, when it began to bend, the architects tried to build counterweights to ... Read the whole review