1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Russia's war in UkraineIsrael-Hamas warIndia elections
Travel

Leaning tower of Pisa

Elisabeth Yorck von WartenburgSeptember 13, 2016

The freestanding bell tower of the cathedral of Pisa, Santa Maria Assunta, leans at an angle of over 4 degrees giving the impression it could fall over at any moment.

https://p.dw.com/p/1K0MS

The leaning tower of Pisa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts millions of tourists each year. Even though it became famous because it leaned, this also was a cause for concern. The tilt began during construction because of an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to support the weight. The building was built with a deliberate tilt from the fourth floor on. This was made worse by measures to prevent the tower from collapsing. The tower was finally stabilized and made safe for tourists in the 1990s.