The famous tower of Pisa is so famous for its inclination and the thousands of people who come to take a photo where they appear to be holding up the tower. However, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is much more than a leaning tower.
Today we talk about the Tower of Pisa, Why do you have that inclination? and the solution that has been given so that it does not continue to tilt over time.
Why is the Tower of Pisa leaning?
We would like to say that the inclination of the Tower of Pisa is due to some reason more impressive than the foundation. But don't let it fool you, because your problem is very interesting. Since from the moment its construction began, it was clear that the tower and its foundations had a problem, yet they continued to build what is one of the most iconic towers in Italy today.
History of the Pisa Cathedral and its Tower
The Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta located in Pisa, specifically in the Square of Miracles. It is a medieval cathedral, a great representation of Pisan Romanesque art. It shows the prestige and wealth that the locals had at the time of construction.
It was started in 1063 by the architect Buscheto and it is known that the money to build that factory came from the loot received fighting against the Muslims in Sicily that same year, an interesting period that should be considered when talking about the architecture of the time.
To build the cathedral different artistic styles merged such as the Lombard, the Byzantine and the Islamic. This was a sign of the presence of Pisa merchants throughout the world. The curious thing is that was held outside the walls, a sign that they were not afraid from being attacked. The place chosen was an old necropolis from the Lombard period where construction had already begun on a church that was never finished.
This Church was Cathedral consecrated in 1118, and was expanded by the architect Rainaldo by enlarging the transept. The current appearance, in fact, draws on different remodeling and restorations of the cathedral as well as the radical interventions that were made after the fire in the 16th century.
Evolution and problems of the Tower of Pisa
His famous tower would begin to be built in 1173 in an artistic style that matched the already built church. It would take a couple of centuries to finish due to foundation problems and war conflicts. Originally, the bell tower, It reached 60 meters high, but due to its inclination, visible from its beginnings, it was losing height. Currently, the tower measures 55 meters on the lowest side and 56 meters on the highest side.
The ground where the tower began to rise was unstable, composed of mud and other soft materials that caused the Tower to gradually sink during its construction. Despite this, and despite seeing how the tower not only sank, losing height, but also leaning, they completed the structure, a fact that has sparked interest in its engineering.
As the years passed and we watched the cathedral's bell tower give way more and more, stabilization plants began. What they could not imagine was that precisely this construction error, that inclination, would be what would make that tower world famous.
Today The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the essential and popular destinations to visit for anyone traveling to Italy. People continue to go there to contemplate the beauty of the complex, to admire the inclination that has made the tower famous and also to take a photo holding it.
Actions to prevent the Tower of Pisa from continuing to sink and tilt
han sidor numerous interventions They were trying to correct this foundation error that was causing the tower to lean more and more. Counterweights were used, earth was excavated beneath the building's base to reduce pressure, weight was removed from the tower, and access was limited to the number of people allowed to climb, highlighting the importance of preserving monuments.
Behind all the investigations into the tower's problems, different tests and actions, Finally in 2001, it was announced that they had been able to stop the sinking of the tower. The engineers were aware that the inclination should not be corrected since it is an important characteristic of the building, the idea was to stabilize it, paralyze it and stop it from continuing to sink. And it seems that they have achieved it after carrying out all the preventive measures as well as the application of actions such as counterweights on one side to counteract the other or the emptying of earth at the base.
All this should give 200 years of margin to the Tower and also to future engineers that they will have to worry about their stability again. But for now, we can continue visiting the monument without worries that it may fall.
