Humans make mistakes, after all, no human is perfect. One
mistake made in the 11th century resulted in a 14,500 ton leaning tower.
This miscalculation would later become a symbol of civic pride, but tell that
to the man who designed it!
The learning tower of Pisa, known as Torre Pendente di
Pisa in Italian, is different than most medieval architecture. This
particular section won't cover the highly advanced construction techniques that
were used, it is important to mention how this tower's design is significant.
The Leaning Tower is the third oldest building on
Pisa'sPiazza del Duomo (cathedral square), the Cathedral and Baptistry
were first.
Utilizing many columns and archs, this tower represents an
advanced understanding of weight and load characteristics, showing the Italian
architectures' knowledge.
What the architect didn't account for however, was the base
of the tower being built on a dense section of clay.
THE EARLY YEARS
The construction of the Tower of Pisa began on August 9, 1173.
Originally designed to be a bell tower, the tower actually stood upright for
over 5 years, but just after the completion of the third floor (1178)
it began to lean. The citizens of Italy were shocked as it began to lean ever
so slightly.
The foundation of the tower, only 3 meter deep, was built
on a dense clay mixture and impacted the soil. As it turned out, the
clay was not nearly as strong enough as required to hold the tower upright, and
so the weight of the tower began to diffuse downward until it had found the
weakest point.
After this, construction halted for 100 years. The
government hoped that the soil would settle, giving it enough strength to hold
the weight of the tower. As well, the country was focused on its war with
Genoa, which was quite brutal and ravaging at the time.
CONSTRUCTION
RESUMES
After the 100 year hiatus, Giovanni di Simone stepped
forward in 1272and began to add four more floors to the tower. He actually
managed to cause the tower to lean over more when he tried to compensate for
the original lean by making one side of the upper floors taller than the other.
In 1284 construction was halted again, this time
because of the Battle of Meloria, in which the Pisans were defeated by the
Genoans.
In 1319 the 7th floor was finished. The
bell-chamber was added in 1372, and then the tower was left alone until
the 19th century.
In 1838 Alessandro Della Gherardesca, an
established architect, dug a pathway near the base of the tower so that people
could see the intricately crafted base. The tower began to lean even more as a
result, likely due to the decreased amount of support available within the
soil.
WORLD WAR TWO
This war was brutal and bloody for the entire world, and
its effects were felt everywhere from America to rural Africa. In relation to
the leaning tower of Pisa, however, it is pure luck.
When the American soldiers invaded, they were
ordered to destroy any and all buildings in order to neutralize the thread of
enemy snipers. There were no exceptions to this rule, and hundreds of buildings
were blown up as the forces steadily advanced over the Italian countryside. The
only thing which prevented the leaning tower of Pisa from being destroyed was a
retreat that took place shortly after the arrival of the Americans,
necessitating no need to destroy the national monument.
STEADIER THAN EVER
In 1964, Italy asked help to prevent the Leaning Tower
from toppling. They wanted to keep the lean though, because of its importance
for Pisa's tourism. A team of engineers and historians came together on the
Azores to discuss the problem. As a temporary measure, a leaden counterweight
(800 tonnes) was installed.
In 1987, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was declared a Unesco
World Heritage Site, along with the entire Piazza Del Duomo.
In 1990, the Leaning Tower was closed. The bells were
removed and the tower was anchored.
Reopened in 2001 for tourists, the leaning tower of Pisa is
finally sturdy and safe. Naturally, climbing to the top of the tower has become
the most popular tourist activity within reason, and for good reason: with a
history as deep and as wrought with unfortunate circumstance as this one, it's
hard not to get excited about.
leaningtowerofpisa.net
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