INSIDE THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA
As I walked through an unᴀssuming archway and first laid my eyes on the world-famous Leaning Tower of Tower, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. The whole structure looks like it is defies gravity.
The tower, combined with the Cathedral and Baptistery make up the monuments of Piazza del Duomo and together they are a formula of unrivalled architecture and have been granted UNESCO World Heritage status.
Its surreal and misshapen appearance (it is more than five meters off perpendicular), never fails to put a smile on the face of those who set their eyes upon it. Another thing that’ll make you laugh is seeing all the tourists doing forced perspective pH๏τos.
I took a pH๏τo to pretend I was pushing it over, but I think my attempt was pretty tame after seeing pH๏τos of people looking like they’re kicking it over, or holding it up against their back. These people have really mastered the art of the force perspective down to a tee.
Why is the Pisa tower leaning?
The Leaning Tower of Pisa leans due to a combination of architectural miscalculations and the soft subsoil on which it was built.
When construction began all the way back in 1173, the tower’s foundation was laid on a shallow base of clay, fine sand, and shells, which is prone to instability.
The higher side of the tower sank less due to more compact subsoil, while the lower side experienced more significant settling. Efforts to correct the tilt have been made over the years, but the lean remains as a testament to the challenges faced during its construction and the delicate balance between human intervention and natural forces.
As fate would have it, the initial miscalculations are what make the tower one of the most beloved buildings in the world!
How to buy your tickets
After buying the tickets, my friend and I waited around until our time slot approached. It’s necessary to be given a time slot because only a limited amount of people can enter the tower at one time.
We didn’t have to wait too long, but I imagine queueing times can be quite lengthy in peak seasons like July and August so it would be a good idea to book tickets online if you’re planning a trip in those months.
There’s also the option to buy a ticket which grants access to all three of the UNESCO buildings but because we were on a budget we decided to just buy a single ticket for the tower.
Inside the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Inside the tower there are almost 300 steps laid in a very narrow stairway, so you must place your bags inside nearby lockers located in the square. Also, as you can see from the pH๏τo, the stairs are heavily eroded so flat footwear is advisable.
The tower has seven floors and there are little windows as you wind to peer through and capture the stunning views around the tower as you get higher and higher.
However, it’s not until you reach the top floor that you are granted full access to the spectacular panoramic views across Pisa.
