The Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a famous bell tower in the city of Pisa, Italy. It started leaning while it was still being built over 800 years ago. The soft ground on one side could not hold the heavy building. Instead of tearing it down, people kept building, and now it is one of the most visited landmarks in the world.

Why Does It Lean?

The tower started leaning because the soil on one side was softer than the other. The foundation was only about 10 feet deep, which was too shallow for such a heavy building. As each new floor was added, the tilt got worse. Builders tried to fix the lean by making one side taller, but that did not work.

Saving the Tower

By the 1990s, the tower was leaning so much that experts worried it might fall over. Engineers carefully removed soil from under the high side to straighten it a little. The project took 11 years and reduced the lean by about 17 inches. The tower is now safe and should stay standing for at least 200 more years.

Fun Facts

• The tower leans about 4 degrees, which means the top is about 13 feet off-center from the bottom.
• It took almost 200 years to build the tower because wars and money problems kept stopping the work.
• The famous scientist Galileo is said to have dropped two balls from the top of the tower to test how gravity works.

Did You Know?

The Leaning Tower of Pisa has 294 steps to the top. The staircase is a spiral, and the steps are worn down on one side from millions of visitors climbing them!