Leaning Tower of Pisa - the world's strange architecture

In the history of architecture, there are few works of art that were made wrongly during the construction process and turned into a masterpiece of mankind. Yet in Italy, there exists such a work, the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. However, after more than 800 years of existence, the tilt of the tower increased rapidly and was in danger of collapsing, so on January 7, 1990, the Leaning Tower of Pisa had to be officially closed for restoration.

Located in Piazza dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), Central Pisa, Northwest Italy, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of four important structures in the complex of churches, chapels and cemeteries recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site.

The tower has 8 floors, is 54.8 m high, weighs about 14,500 tons, and is built in the shape of a hollow cylinder with rows of columns around it. The inside and outside of the tower are covered with marble and the most special thing is that the tower does not stand straight but leans 5 degrees to the South.

This is also one of the important factors that create the appeal of the tower. And perhaps many of us have also wondered about the origin and the reason why this building has such a unique shape.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa today. Source: Internet.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa was built in 1173 to demonstrate to the world the wealth and prosperity of the city of Pisa.

The tower was originally built upright on a rough stone foundation, with its base sunk 3m below ground. However, the subsequent war with Florence halted construction.

It wasn’t until 1180 that work began again, and by the time the third floor was completed, the ground had subsided and the tower began to lean. To counteract the tilt, the designers had to build taller columns and arches on the north side. But war with Florence broke out again, and construction was halted to give priority to the war effort.

After nearly 100 years, the tower remained unfinished and the ground beneath its foundations continued to sink. In 1272, construction resumed, and attempts were made to correct the tilt, but without success.

Although the tower gradually sank and at times reached an alarming rate, this did not stop the authorities and workers from continuing their construction. The Leaning Tower of Pisa was finally completed between 1360 and 1370. And to keep the tower balanced, they placed the bell tower on the 8th floor, leaning more towards the North.

Over time, the tilt of the tower increased, and people feared that at some point this great structure would collapse. And at one point, the authorities had to close it to visitors for maintenance.

*Efforts to save the Leaning Tower of Pisa

To avoid the risk of collapse at any time, the Tower of Pisa is currently being comprehensively preserved. 830 tons of lead were used to support the north face of the tower, not to mention the steel braces that surround the tower, including a network of steel cables more than 100m long. But that is not enough to erase the feeling of a disaster hanging over the heads of the city's people, and a group of international experts has been looking for a solution to maintain the permanent existence of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

“This is not an easy job,” said geologist Michele Jarniolkowski. “Not only me, but all the other members of the team felt the pressure of the job and felt the level of risk was very high.”

The team's goal is to reduce the tilt by about 40 centimeters. This will save the tower from danger while still maintaining its shape, because no one wants the Tower of Pisa to stand upright anyway.

By 1990, the Tower of Pisa had leaned 5.5 degrees, or 5.1 centimeters, from a right angle. The very existence of the tower defies the laws of physics.

Architect John Burland said: “I think it is a miracle. In 1990 when we came here, we could not build this tower with a computer. The lean of the tower is 5.5 degrees and our computer could only build the tower at 5.44 degrees before it fell. The Tower of Pisa is truly a miracle.”

After surveying the project, architect John Burland suggested that if the amount of soil on the northern base of the tower was reduced, it would be possible to return the tower to vertical position.

And thanks to this plan, by 2001, the tower had reduced its tilt by 4.4 cm, enough for the authorities to reopen the tower to the public. As of May 2008, the sensors had not detected any further movement of the Tower of Pisa. And so far, after much effort by researchers, the leaning tower has been straightened, leaning only 3.9 degrees and can last for at least another 200 years.

Although facing many potential risks, with increasingly developing technology, Italian people hope that hundreds of years from now, the leaning tower of Pisa will still stand tall in the sky with the majestic and strange beauty as it is today.

According to VNA