Overview
The Leaning Tower, symbol of Pisa
One of the best known symbols of Tuscany and Italy as a whole. The Tower of Pisa is located in Piazza dei Miracoli, so-called by the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio but dating back to the golden age of the Maritime Republic.
With its height of 58.36 metres, the Leaning Tower soars behind the Duomo, the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, of which it is the bell tower. Construction began in 1173 but was not completed until 1300 due to subsidence of the ground that caused its now famous inclined position. The top three floors were built curved in the opposite direction to the slope in an attempt to straighten it out.
The structure comprises two concentric cylinders connected by an internal spiral staircase. Along the outer cylinder are loggia-like floors with columns. There are seven bells and they correspond to musical notes. The Bell of San Ranieri, which corresponds to the King, was called Justice because it sounded when a traitor was sentenced to death.
Climb the273 stepsof the staircase leading to the top of the tower for a spectacular view of the square and the surrounding landscape. From up here, it is said that Galileo Galilei threw two weights to prove his theory of falling bodies.
