Leaning Tower of Pisa

Leaning Tower of Pisa
Torre Pendente di Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa in 2022
Religion
Affiliation	Catholic Church
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Active
Location
Location	Pisa, Italy
Geographic coordinates	43°43′23″N 10°23′47″E / 43.72306°N 10.39639°E / 43.72306; 10.39639
Architecture
Architect(s)	Bonanno Pisano
Style	Romanesque
Groundbreaking	1173
Completed	1372; 652 years ago (1372)
Specifications
Height (max)	55.86 m (183 ft 3 in)
Materials	marble stone
Website
www.opapisa.it
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part of	Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
Criteria	Cultural: i, ii, iv, vi
Reference	395
Inscription	1987 (11th Session)

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: torre pendente di Pisa [ˈtorre penˈdɛnte di ˈpiːza, - ˈpiːsa]^[1]), or simply the Tower of Pisa (torre di Pisa), is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of Pisa Cathedral. It is known for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation. The tower is one of three structures in the Pisa's Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo), which includes the cathedral and Pisa Baptistry.

The height of the tower is 55.86 metres (183 feet 3 inches) from the ground on the low side and 56.67 m (185 ft 11 in) on the high side. The width of the walls at the base is 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in). Its weight is estimated at 14,500 tonnes (16,000 short tons).^[2] The tower has 296 or 294 steps; the seventh floor has two fewer steps on the north-facing staircase.

The tower began to lean during construction in the 12th century, due to soft ground which could not properly support the structure's weight. It worsened through the completion of construction in the 14th century. By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees.^[3][4][5] The structure was stabilized by remedial work between 1993 and 2001, which reduced the tilt to 3.97 degrees.^[6]