The Tower, Pisa

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This is what we all come for....to see one of the most well known mistakes in the world. Is it because we think it might actually fall over? Or maybe we all think its just a photo trick or some sort of optical illusion. I think we all go because we just want to take a picture leaning along with the tower, just so we can say we did. But not me, I came to see if I could finish the job of knocking it over on my own. Sadly, I failed. Its still standing....err...leaning.

The distance on foot from the main train station to the Leaning Tower is about 1.7 kilometers, so 25 or so minutes on foot.

However, note that this is from Pisa Centrale, the main station. There is, in fact, a closer station to the Piazza dei Miracoli where the Tower, the Duomo, the Baptistery, and the museum all are - Pisa San Rossore. Suppose, for example, you leave Florence at 07:57; you will hit Pisa Centrale at 09:06, but then the train continues on to Pisa San Rossore and arrives at 09:15.

Pisa San Rossore is only 300 meters from the Piazza dei Miracoli, as opposed to 1,700 meters.

Now, not many trains go all the way to Pisa San Rossore (most end at Pisa Centrale or leave the city), but if the time suits you, why not? Go to www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html and enter "Florence" for the starting point and "Pisa San Rossore" as the destination. Pick a date next week that is the same day of the week as when you think you might go.

For a map of the route on foot in Pisa from the main train station, go to www.viamichelin.com, go to Driving Directions, enter "Piazza della Stazione" as the starting point and "Piazza dei Miracoli" as the destination, and make sure to click on the 'On foot' option!

For a map of the route in Pisa from Pisa San Rossore train station, go to www.viamichelin.com, go to Driving Directions, enter "Pisa San Rossore" as the starting point and "Piazza dei Miracoli" as the destination. Hmmmn, I see that currently, even using the 'On foot' option, it has you going out of the way; it didn't used to do that - I know that VTers here have reported the same thing that you see on the map, that the distance is about 300 meters....well, go and find out for us! ;-)

Bill

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The long and winding steps that lead to the summit of the leaning Tower are well worth the effort. Try not to get yourself involved with a tour group and if you can, get to the bottom early to as to start your ascent so as to continue at your own pace. Its a long way up.

The views in every direction over Pisa are incredible. Be sure when you reach the top to remember you can also acend further to the walkway above the bells.

If you have a few minutes spare after wandering about through wonderful awe inspiring monuments and long lines of tourist tack shops. Spend a couple of minutes watching the international tourists line up to stand on the bollards and have their photos taken trying to hold up or push over the tower. My advice is to take four of five photos from slightly different angles as you need to get the angle just right.

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa, is the freestanding bell tower of the Cathedral of Pisa. Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction. The Tower of Pisa was a work of art, performed in three stages over a period of about 177 years

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Thanks to the poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction the Pisa tower has been leaning for a good amount of time to attract tourist to a small town Pisa. First time I learned about Pisa is in Science classes when famouse scientists climb the tower for their experiments. So to climb the tower is probably the most importnant highlight, to feel like you are back in time climbing 294 steps.

When we went to Pisa, we bought the package which included: climbing the tower, museum and cementery and it was money well spent.

One of the most famous buildings in the world, the leaning tower, or torre pendente, is undeniably the star draw. Although victim of a catalogue of follies and mishaps, this endearing monument is actually very beautiful, its tilt adding a unique character to the Romanesque Piazza dei Miracoli which surrounds it.

Construction began on the campanile (bell tower) in 1173 and it took 200 years to complete; the project seemingly hampered at every turn. Fortuitously for the city's later tourist industry, the ground on which the tower was built was slightly boggy and, even before the tower had been completed, it began to subside. Over the centuries the tower continued to lean at an increasingly worrying angle, with misguided attempts at correcting the tilt in the 19th century causing it to lurch even further.

Eventually, in 1988, it was closed to visitors and serious work began on realigning the tower before it toppled over completely. This highly-skilled operation involved heaping tonnes of lead ingots at the base, followed by attaching a system of steel cabling to hold it in place, before holes were drilled into the ground to remove silt from under the foundations. For the time being, at least, the correction work has proved successful, the tower now leaning at a respectable 5.5 degrees.

The Leaning tower in Pisa is easy to reach from most cities in Italy.We took a train from Florence and reached Pisa in under two hours in the afternoon.We then took a bus from the station and got off near the tower. The tower and the other main sights in Pisa can easily be done in half a day.Try not to spend a night here because you can well be on your way to other towns in Italy.We took a night train to Nice in France.