The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre pendente di Pisa) or simply The Tower of Pisa (La Torre di Pisa) is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa. It is situated behind the Cathedral and it is the third structure in Pisa's Campo dei Miracoli (field of Miracles).
While intended to stand vertically, it began leaning to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift.
The height of the tower is 55.86 m (183.27 ft) from the ground on the lowest side and 56.70 m (186.02 ft) on the highest side. The width of the walls at the base is 4.09 m (13.42 ft) and at the top 2.48 m (8.14 ft). Its weight is estimated at 14,500 tonnes. The tower has 294 steps.
The leaning tower of Pisa is 833 years old.
The construction of the Tower of Pisa was performed in three stages over a period of about 200 years. Construction of the first floor of the white marble campanile began on August 9, 1173, a period of military success and prosperity. This first floor is surrounded by pillars with classical capitals, leaning against blind arches. Today, it is still unscarred from centuries of weather and age.
There is controversy about the identity of the architect of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. For many years, the design was attributed to Guglielmo and Bonanno Pisano, a well-known 12th-Century resident artist of Pisa, famous for his bronze casting, particularly in the Pisa Duomo. Bonanno Pisano left Pisa in 1185 for Monreale, Sicily, only to come back and die in his home town. His sarcophagus was discovered at the foot of the tower in 1820.
The tower first acquired a lean after the third floor was built in 1178, due to a mere three-meter foundation set in weak, unstable subsoil. This means the design was flawed from the beginning. Construction was subsequently halted for almost a century, because the Pisans were almost continually engaged in battles with Genoa, Lucca and Florence. This allowed time for the underlying soil to settle. Otherwise, the tower would almost certainly have toppled. In 1198, clocks were temporarily installed on the unfinished construction.
In 1272, construction resumed under Giovanni di Simone, architect of the Camposanto. Another four floors were built at an angle to compensate for the tilt. Construction was halted again in 1284, when the Pisans were defeated by the Genoans in the Battle of Meloria.
The bell-chamber was not finally added until 1372. It was built by Tommasso di Andrea Pisano, who succeeded in harmonizing the Gothic elements of the bell-chamber with the Romanesque style of the tower. There are seven bells, one for each note of the musical scale. The largest one was installed in 1655.
Galileo Galilei is said to have dropped two cannon balls of different masses from the tower to demonstrate that their descending speed was independent of their mass. This story, though reported by Galileo's own student, is widely considered to be a legend.
In 1838, the architect Alessandro Della Gherardesca excavated a walkway around the tower to make the base visible once again. This caused a flooding of the base and an increase in the inclination.
Benito Mussolini ordered that the tower be returned to a vertical position, so concrete was poured into its foundation. However, the result was that the tower actually sank further into the soil.
During World War II, the Allies discovered that the Nazis were using it as an observation post. A humble US Army sergeant was briefly entrusted with the fate of the tower. His decision not to call in an artillery strike saved the edifice. [1]
On February 27, 1964, the government of Italy requested aid in preventing the tower from toppling. It was however considered important to retain the current tilt, due to the vital role that this element played in promoting the tourism industry of Pisa.[2] A multinational task force of engineers, mathematicians and historians was assigned and met on the Azores islands to discuss stabilization methods. After over two decades of work on the subject, the tower was closed to the public in January 1990. While the tower was closed, the bells were removed to relieve some weight and cables were cinched around the third level and anchored several hundred meters away. Apartments and houses in the path of the tower were vacated for safety. After a decade of corrective reconstruction and stabilization efforts, the tower was reopened to the public on December 15, 2001. Many methods were proposed to stabilize the tower, including the addition of 800 metric tons of lead counterweights to the raised end of the base.[citation needed] The final solution to correcting the lean was to remove 38 m3 of soil from underneath the raised end. The tower has been declared stable for at least another 300 years.
The tower has become a landmark of the city.
In 1987, the tower, the neighboring cathedral, the baptistery and the cemetery were declared a World Heritage Site of UNESCO.

The heart of the Campo dei Miracoli is the Duomo, the medieval cathedral, entitled to St. Mary. This is a five-naved basilica with a three-naved transept.
It was begun in 1064 by the architect Buscheto and is the originator of the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style in architecture. The mosaics of the interior show a strong Byzantine influence, while the pointed arches point to Muslim influences.
The façade, of grey marble and white stone set with discs of coloured marble, was built by a master Rainaldo, as indicated by a write above the middle door: Rainaldus prudens operator.
The massive bronze main doors were made in the workshops of Giambologna, but visitors actually enter through the Portale di San Ranieri (St. Ranieri's Gate), opposite the Leaning Tower. Made in around 1180 by Bonanno Pisano, this doorway was actually moved from its original place opposite the Baptistery when Giambologna's doors were erected.
Above the doors there are four rows of open galleries with, on top, statues of Madonna with Child and, on the corners, the Four evangelists. One of these galleries contains the tomb of Buscheto.
The interior is faced with black and white marble and has a gilded ceiling and a frescoed dome. It was largely redecorated after a fire in 1595, which destroyed most of the medieval art works.
The impressive mosaic, in the apse, of Christ in Majesty, flanked by the Blessed Virgin and St. John the Evangelist, which was completed by Cimabue in 1302, survived the fire however. It evokes the mosaics in the church of Monreale, Sicily. The cupola, at the intersection of the nave and the transept, was decorated by Riminaldi showing the ascension of the Blessed Virgin. Galileo is believed to have formulated his theory about the movement of a pendulum by watching the swinging of the huge incense lamp (not the present one) hanging from the ceiling of the nave. The impressive granite Corinthian columns between the nave and the aisle came originally from the mosque of Palermo, captured by the Pisans in 1063.
The coffer ceiling of the nave was replaced after the fire of 1595. The present gold-decorated ceiling carries the coat of arms of the Medici.
The elaborately carved pulpit (1302-1310), which also survived the fire, was the masterpiece of Giovanni Pisano. It was packed away during the redecoration and was not rediscovered and re-erected until 1926. It shows nine scenes from the New Testament, carved in white marble with a chiaroscuro effect. It contains a bold, naturalistic depiction of a naked Hercules
The church also contains the mummified body of St Ranieri, Pisa's patron saint, and the tomb of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII, carved by Tino da Camaino in 1315.
The building, as several in Pisa, is also slightly tilting since the construction.

The Baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, stands opposite the west end of the Duomo. The round Romanesque building was begun in the mid 12th century: 1153 Mense August fundata fuit haec ("In the month of August 1153 was set up here..."). It was built in Romanesque style by an architect known as Deotisalvi ("God Save You"). His name is mentioned on a pillar inside, as Diotosalvi magister. It was not, however, finished until the 14th century, when the loggia, the top storey and the dome were added in Gothic style by Nicola Pisano and Giovanni Pisano. It is the largest baptistery in Italy. Its circumference measures 107.25 m. Taking into account the statue of St. John the Baptist (attributed to Turino di Sano) on top of the dome, it is even a few centimetres higher than the Leaning Tower.
The portal, facing the facade of the cathedral, is flanked by two classical columns, while the inner jambs are executed in Byzantine style. The lintel is divided in two tiers. The lower one depicts several episodes in the life of St. John the Baptist, while the upper one shows Christ between the Madonna and St John the Baptist, flanked by angels and the evangelists.
The immensity of the interior is overwhelming, but it is surprisingly plain and lacks decoration. It has a notable acoustics also.
The octagonal font at the centre dates from 1246 and was made by Guido Bigarelli da Como. The bronze sculpture of St. John the Baptist at the centre of the font, is a remarkable work by Italo Griselli.
The pulpit was sculpted between 1255-1260 by Nicola Pisano, father of Giovanni Pisano, the artist who produced the pulpit in the Duomo. The scenes on the pulpit, and especially the classical form of the naked Hercules, show at best Pisano's qualities as the most important precursor of Italian renaissance sculpture.

The Camposanto monumentale ("monumental cemetery") lies at the northern edge of the Campo. It is a walled cemetery, which many claim is the most beautiful cemetery in the world. It is said to have been built around a shipload of sacred soil from Golgotha, brought back to Pisa from the 4th Crusade by the archbishop Ubaldo de' Lanfranchi in the 12th century.
The building itself dates from a century later and was erected over the earlier burial ground. The building of this huge, oblong Gothic cloister began in 1278 by the architect Giovanni di Simone. He died in 1284 when Pisa suffered a defeat in a naval battle of Meloria against the Genoans. The cemetery was only completed in 1464. The outer wall is composed of 43 blind arches. There are two doorways. The one on the right is crowned by a gracious Gothic tabernacle. It contains the Virgin Mary with Child, surrounded by four saints. It is the work from the second half of the 14th century by a follower of Giovanni Pisano. Most of the tombs are under the arcades, although a few are on the central lawn. The inner court is surrounded by elaborate round arches with slender mullions and plurilobed tracery.
It contained a huge collection of Roman sculptures and sarcophagi, but now there are only 84 left. The walls were once covered in frescoes, the first were applied in 1360, the last about three centuries later. The Stories of the Old Testament by Benozzo Gozzoli (15th century) were situated in the north gallery, wile the south arcade was famous for the Stories of the Genesi by Piero di Puccio (end 15th century). The most remarkable fresco is the realistic The Triumph of Death, the work of an unknown master, called Maestro del Trionfo delle Morte. But on 27 July 1944 incendiary bombs dropped by Allied aircraft set the roof on fire and covered them in molten lead, all but destroying them. Since 1945 restoration works have been going on and now the Camposanto has been brought back to its original state.

The Oratory of Santa Maria del Pontenovo was originally erected in 1230 and enlarged in the 14th century by the Gualandi family. It took the current name of Santa Maria della Spina (spina is the Italian word for “thorn”) because it kept a thorn of Christ’s Crown over the centuries, which is today in the Church of Santa Chiara nearby the Hospital. On the highest pinnacle stands the copy of the statue of The Virgin and Child by Andrea Pisano. The interior of the church houses statues by Andrea and Nino Pisano.
Opening time from Oct to March: Tue-Sun 10,00-14,00.
Opening time April, May and Sept: Tue-Fri 10,00-13,30 and 14,30-17,00; Sat-Sun 10,00-13,30 and 14,30-19,00.
Opening time June, July, August: Tue-Fri 11,00-13,30 and 14,30-18,00; Sat-Sun 11,00-13,30 and 14,30-20,00
Mondays closed
Tickets: adults € 1,10; reduced € 0,50 for groups min 15 pax and elderly people over 65 years. Free for children under 10 years.
Inclusive ticket Roman Ships exhibition, Chiesa di Santa Maria and Torre Guelfa: adults € 4,50, reduced € 3,30

The portico of Borgo Stretto opens on the courtyard of the church of San Michele in Borgo. Built between the 10th and 11th century, probably on a pre-existing temple of Mars, represents, like many other Pisan religious buildings, the change from the Pisan Romanesque style to the Gothic one. The façade shows three portals and a Gothic tabernacle with different orders of small arches and a rose window in the upper part. The interior, consisting of two side aisles and a nave separated by columns and pillars, houses many works. The church was rebuilt after the bombings of 1944: the façade and the apse survived

According to an ancient story, the church was built after St. Francis’s preaching which took place in Pisa around 1211; in fact, two of his Pisan followers, Agnello and Alberto, erected the first Franciscan building. The architectonic structure of the church reflects the typical Franciscan style: simple lines, poor materials, but vast sizes (18 m x 70 m). Noteworthy is the bell tower without supporting columns, which does not rest on the ground, but on the two sides of the nave and is supported by two big stone shelves. A part of the church became a civic museum in 1899 and is now a school, while the inner cloister is used by the parishioners. The building houses 17th-century paintings and original glass doors

Before taking the Florentine name, it was called Palazzo Vecchio. It was built in the 13th century upon a pre-existing building of the 11th century. It was originally the property of the D’Appiano family, lords of Pisa (14th century) and then of the Medici family, starting from Piero Cosimo il Vecchio (1446). Lorenzo the Magnificent lived here with his friend Poliziano; also Carlo VIII stayed here in 1494 when Pisa rebelled against Florence. The lower part of the façade is made of stone, with an undecorated door on the left, while the upper part shows three-mullioned windows on the first storey and double lancet windows on the second storey.

The palace overlooks the homonymous Lungarno on the corner of Piazza XX Settembre. It was built in Gothic-Pisan style, of dark green stone, by order of Pietro Gambacorta or Gambacorti. The façade is decorated with a double order of two-and three-mullioned windows, coats of arms and inscriptions. The adjoining side is characterised by an arcade and is connected with the Logge di Banchi by means of a flyover

It stands on the left of the Palazzo dei Cavalieri, with which it was connected by means of a concrete tunnel. It was probably built on Vasari’s design as an infirmary and dwelling-place of the old knights. It was erected at the beginning of the 17th century by linking two corner towers: Torre della Giustizia and Torre dei Gualandi, called “Torre della Muda” (Moult Tower) because the eagles were shut up here when they shed their feathers, and later known as “Torre della Fame” (Starvation Tower) because Count Ugolino was believed to have been locked up here. The building presents typical elements by Vasari, such as the protruding roof, the windows with the gable, while the external 17th-century images representing allegoric figures disappeared. The clock that gives the name to the palace is derived from the bell tower of the Chiesa dei Cavalieri (1696)

The church, which was served the 7th of July 1562, was built by Vasari the 17 of April 1565 where originally stood the church of San Sebastiano alle Fabbriche Maggiori. This church was built by order of Cosimo I de Medici as a Collegiate Church of the Military and Chivalry Order of St. Stephen, pope and Christian protomartyr. The façade, started by Vasari, was completed according to the design of Giovanni de Medici. Originally the church had a single nave, to which the two side aisles were added in the 17th century and completed in 1934. The interior of the church keeps antiques, flags and lights stolen from Turkish pirate ships in the 16th-18th century. The large wooden ceiling displays works dedicated to the deeds and glory of St. Stephen’s Order.

Known in the past as Duomo Vecchio owing to the functions performed until the completion of the church of Santa Maria Assunta in the homonymous Piazza del Duomo, this beautiful church was founded in the 9th-10th century and enlarged in the following period. A splendid example of Pisan-Romanesque architecture, it has recently been restored to its essential structure. The magnificent interior is divided by three orders of granite columns and capitals with archaic figures.

The church houses extraordinary works of art, such as the polyptych by Simone Martini, now in the National Museum of San Matteo. Noteworthy are the shrine of the bishop Simone Saltarelli made by Nino Pisano, the altar-piece “The Glory of San Tommaso d’Aquino” by Francesco Traini, an ancient desk from which the Saint probably gave lessons and sermons and the tomb of Beato Fra Giordano da Rivalto. Santa Caterina d’Alessandria d’Egitto was a young girl who had to suffer martyrdom in the period of the persecution of Massenzio at the beginning of the 4th century.

This palace, whose foundations date back to the 15th century, has an imposing facade originating from the end of the 18th century. The interior, characterised by a large arcade to be found on the whole inner perimeter, originally had an upper loggia, which was closed later. In the middle of the courtyard is the Statue of Moses by the sculptor Andrea Vaccà of 1709.

It is also known as “Palazzo della Carovana” from the name of the training course attended by the knights of the order. In fact, Cosimo I had it built for the Order of St. Stephen’s Knights, founded on 9 January 1561 in order to fight the Saracen pirates. Vasari built it between 1562 and 1564 on the previous Palazzo degli Anziani, of which some remains are left on the side facing the Chiesa dei Cavalieri. The imposing three-storey façade is decorated with graffiti, coats of arms and busts. The graffiti by Vasari, frequently restored, represent the signs of the Zodiac (below) and allegoric characters (above). The marble busts of the Medicean Grand Dukes are placed into oval niches between the second and the third storey. A monumental double staircase built in 1821 completes the elegant Renaissance building. Since 1810 the palace has been housing the Scuola Normale, founded by Napoleon Bonaparte with a view to preparing Maths, Science and Humanities teachers on the model of the French schools. The school was reorganised by Leopoldo II of Lorraine and opened on 15th November 1847 with the name of Scuola Normale Superiore. The school allows the students to attend supplementary specialisation courses, besides the ordinary university lessons. The school publishes the magazines of the Annals of the Scuola Normale (subdivided into Science and Humanities classes) and owns a rich library of books and magazines that can be consulted by the university students. In front of the palace are the statue of Cosimo I Medici and the so-called “Fontana del Gobbo” (Italian for Hunchback’s Fountain), both of them by Francavilla.

Palazzo Reale was erected in the second half of the 16th century according to Buontalenti’s plan. It was the seat of the Medicean Court in winter, since Pisa was the second capital of the Tuscan Grand Duchy, and was connected with the Church of San Nicola by two flyovers, one of which was destroyed by the Second World War.

The 13th century building, formed of two galleried floors and divided into various rooms, contains extremely important art works coming from the monuments in the Cathedral Square. One room is wholly dedicated to Guglielmo, the sculptor-architect who first created the Cathedral Pulpit, subsequently donated to the Cathedral of Cagliari in 1312 and replaced with the Pulpit by Giovanni Pisano. The Bronze Grifon and the Basin of Islamic origin (Fatimite), a Burgundy crucifix and the works of Tino da Camaino along with the original sculptures from Saint Ranieri’s altar-tomb and the effigies of Henry VII from Luxembourg with his Counsellors are of extreme importance. Other noteworthy works are the group of statues coming from the Baptistry by Giovanni Pisano, his wooden Crucifix - known as the Elci Christ - the Madonna del Colloquio and the Madonna with Child, the latter in ivory. Also very important are the colour engravings by Lasinio with the reconstruction of the wall frescoes from the Camposanto Monumentale.
Piazza Arcivescovado, 8
050-560547
Opening times: winter 9.00-16.40; spring and autumn 9.00-17.40; summer 8.00-20.00; closed 1/1 and 25/12.
Tickets: adults € 5,00; reduced ticket only for schools € 2,00. No group reductions or discounts.
From the railway station of Pisa Centrale, bus n° 3 or shuttle bus A