The Leaning Tower of Pisa – As crooked as they say it is
November 20, 2009 | Francis Nicholls-Wunder
Sure ain't straight...
The Leaning Tower of Pisa must be one of the most famous mistakes in architectural history. Would the monument really be so amazing if its foundation were holding up a bit better? I think not. This being said, seeing it in person really is quite a treat. What sprung to my mind was the idea of someone hitting the pause button and freezing the tower mid-collapse.
The tower started to lean pretty soon after it was built in 1173. It’s interesting to note that it began leaning to the southeast and is now leaning to the southwest. Recent maintenance, performed over the turn of the millennium, decreased the angle of the lean from 5.5 degrees to 3.99 degrees. I know this sounds like a low number but it is more than enough.
The town of Pisa itself is actually quite small without all that much to offer. Tourists still swarm to Pisa to snap a photo of the tower but it is not a city that needs more than a day, or simply a day trip. The train ride from the much more impressive city of Florence is very short and simple and makes a day trip to Pisa from your accommodation in Florence an appealing and cheap idea.
Be wary of all the shops and restaurants that are aimed at tourists making the walk from the train station to the Leaning Tower. They will often push prices very high to take advantage. A good way to avoid this is to bring your own picnic style lunch from somewhere off the beaten track, perhaps collected in a place like Florence before you even get to Pisa.
With Pisa so easily reached from such a must-see destination as Florence there is no reason not to take the trip out to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. You will not be disappointed.
