One of the best known monuments in the world is the tower of Pisa. It is located in the city that bears the same name, precisely in the 'Piazza del Duomo de Pisa'. A place, undoubtedly emblematic like this tower that has one of the great peculiarities and that resides in its inclination.
If you have already visited it, it will surely have dazzled you with its beauty, if not, you can still get carried away by everything that we will tell you, before leaving on your trip. His story, the reason for his inclination and many more data that you will discover if you just keep reading.
How to get to the Tower of Pisa
This tower is located in Tuscany, whose capital is Florence. It is located on the western coast of Italy and is about 85 kilometers from the capital, that is, from Florence. To get to Pisa, you can go on a tour or excursion, which makes the whole journey more enjoyable and they tell you all the details that you will see and visit. On the other hand, to make the trip on your own, you have the train. From Florence to Pisa there are about 60 minutes and it will cost you less than 9 euros. Another option will be to rent a car and make the relevant stops so as not to miss any of the corners as you pass. Remember that just one kilometer from Pisa, you will find the airport. For what simpler, it is impossible. It is also known as the Galileo Galilei Airport.
The Piazza del Duomo
Once we are in the city of Pisa, we will have to go to its heart. Right in the center of it we will find an emblematic place, without a doubt. 'La Plaza de la Catedral', allows us to enjoy a walled area, where we will find the paved ground, but sometimes, surrounded by grass. A combination that is already showing the beauty of a place like this. There you will see four of the emblematic buildings of the place.
- The Duomo: Right in the center, we will be welcomed by the medieval Cathedral that is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. We will see Pisan Romanesque art in all its splendor. Construction began in 1063 and the site was expanded in the XNUMXth century. Although what we can see today is the result of several restorations.
- The baptistery: It is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Located in front of the cathedral and construction began in 1152, also in the Romanesque style.
- The Tower of Pisa: Without a doubt, our protagonist of today. The tower that began to be built in 1173 and from that moment it has already begun to lean. Its height is about 55 meters and with eight levels.
- Campo Santo: This place contains more than 600 tombstones, and the vast majority of them, Greco-Roman. The legend mentioned that once the body was buried in this place, it took 24 hours to decompose.
Why is the tower leaning?
It is said that already, once its construction started, it began to lean. It should be mentioned that this construction was done in three phases. The first construction phase began in 1173, with white marble and semi-columns that are the protagonists of the first part of the tower or lower part. When they were already on the third floor, in 1178, the tower leaned a few meters to the north.
Here we have to answer the question of why the inclination of said tower. It seems that the ground was not as stable as it was thought. Hence, its foundations did not get the grip that all kinds of monuments need. Seeing that its design was not correct, its construction was stopped for a century. It was in all this time when the ground seemed to be settling, because otherwise the tower would have collapsed.
In 1272 construction was resumed. Here four more plants were made. The top floor and bell tower area it was built in 1372, after another stoppage, in this case due to wars. In this way, it has Gothic touches but also a Romanesque style. The bells that we find in its highest part are seven, each corresponding to a musical note.
Are you in danger of collapse?
The truth is that it has always been one of the topics of debate. It is not for less! Because we realize that it has a rather pronounced inclination. Hence, in the 60s, it was closed and the Italian government asked for help to prevent its fall. They have feared for her on more than one occasion. Many experts began to study the possibilities that a tower like this had. After more than 10 years of stabilization work for the Tower of Pisa. It was reopened in 2001 to the public.
In case you wonder, there were many methods that were being proposed to prevent its collapse. Finally, in order to correct some of its inclination, a quantity of soil was removed in the base zone. In this way, they have ensured that for another 200 years, approximately, there will be no type of danger for the tower. So, today you can go up to it and enjoy some Panoramic views In all rules. But yes, to be able to reach them you have to climb more than 300 steps. Although without a doubt, it is worth it! Although it is said to be a myth, generation after generation has told that from the top, Galileo Galilei threw objects to study if they fell at the same speed or if they reached the ground at the same time.
Hours and prices to visit the Tower of Pisa
Entrance to the tower is done in groups. For this reason, sometimes the long lines are very desperate. When you buy the tickets, they will tell you the time you can go up. So it is always better to book in advance. You have to arrive on time and the visit will only take half an hour. Children under 8 years old cannot go up and those under 18 must go with an adult. His summer schedule It is from 8:30 a.m. to 22 p.m. In the month of April, May or September it will be from 9:00 a.m. to 20:00 p.m. While in the month of March, from 9:00 to 18:00.
In October until 19:00 p.m. while in November and February from 9:40 a.m. to 17:40 p.m. If you go in December or January, then you will go up from 10:00 to 17:00. After knowing the schedules, it does not hurt to know the price and this is around 18 euros. You also have the option of betting on a tour. They will depart from Florence and usually last about five hours. In them you will visit all the monuments and you will also have the option of climbing the tower of Pisa.