The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a free standing bell tower of the cathedral of Pisa in Italy. The Tower is located behind the cathedral and is said to be the third oldest structure in Pisa. The tower was made to stand straight, however immediately after it was constructed, it started leaning towards the south east. This was due to a poorly laid foundation and a substrate that allows the foundation to favor one direction.
The total height of the tower is 186.27 feet from the ground towards the lower side and 186.02 feet on the higher side. Its wall width at the bottom is measured at over 13 feet and the walls are 8 feet thick at the top. The tower’s total weight is 14,500 metric tons and has 296 steps on the south side and 294 steps on the north facing side.
The Tower Of Pisa was built over a period spanning from 1173 to 1372 and was constructed in three different phases. It was in 1178 when the Leaning Tower of Pisa had three floors that the tower started to sink. The reason was that only a three meter foundation had been used upon unbalanced soil. Essentially, the design was flawed from the beginning. Construction was halted for almost a century as the city was in a continuous state of war. The soil eventually settled, otherwise, the tower was sure to topple over.
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