Friday, October 16, 2009

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre pendente di Pisa) or simply The Tower of Pisa (La Torre di Pisa) is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa. It is situated behind the Cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisa's Cathedral Square. 

The height of the tower is 55.86 m (183.27 ft) from the ground on the lowest side and 56.70 m (186.02 ft) on the highest side. The width of the walls at the base is 4.09 m (13.42 ft) and at the top 2.48 m (8.14 ft). Its weight is estimated at 14,500 metric tons (16,000 short tons). The tower has 296 or 294 steps; the seventh floor has two fewer steps on the north-facing staircase. Prior to restoration work performed between 1990 and 2001, the tower leaned at an angle of 5.5 degrees, but the tower now leans at about 3.99 degrees.


Leaning Tower Construction History:
The Tower of Pisa was a work of art, performed in three stages over a period of about 177 years. Construction of the first floor of the white marble campanile began on August 9, 1173, a period of military success and prosperity. This first floor is a blind arcade articulated by engaged columns with classical Corinthian capitals.
The tower began to sink after construction had progressed to the third floor in 1178. This was due to a mere three-meter foundation, set in weak, unstable subsoil, a design that was flawed from the beginning. Construction was subsequently halted for almost a century, because the Pisans were almost continually engaged in battles with Genoa, Lucca and Florence. This allowed time for the underlying soil to settle. Otherwise, the tower would almost certainly have toppled. In 1198, clocks were temporarily installed on the third floor of the unfinished construction. 
In 1272, construction resumed under Giovanni di Simone, architect of the Camposanto. In an effort to compensate for the tilt, the engineers built upper floors with one side taller than the other. This made the tower begin to lean in the other direction. Because of this, the tower is actually curved. Construction was halted again in 1284, when the Pisans were defeated by the Genoans in the Battle of Meloria.
The seventh floor was completed in 1319. The bell-chamber was not finally added until 1372. It was built by Tommaso di Andrea Pisano, who succeeded in harmonizing the Gothic elements of the bell-chamber with the Romanesque style of the tower. There are seven bells, one for each note of the musical major scale. The largest one was installed in 1655.
After a phase (1990-2001) of structural strengthening, the tower is currently undergoing gradual surface restoration, in order to repair visual damage, mostly corrosion and blackening. These are particularly strong due to the tower's age and to its particular exposure to wind and rain.

22 comments:

Varun said...

Nice information dude...

I never knew the exact degrees by which the tower leans.[:p]

Thanxx keep up the good work[:p]

Mukesh Kothiyal said...

full of information dear!!
no surprz its in d 7 wondrs of world...
n i really didnt knw abt its chronologicl developmnt !!

HIMANSHU KARKI said...

thnx frnds....

Anonymous said...

A lot of information you are spreading through your Blog..
Keep penning.
:)

HIMANSHU KARKI said...

@Vijay

Thnx for this appreciation buddy...

Next Post is on Formation Of Universe and Planets.

Hope u awl like that too :)

Anonymous said...

nice information friend
i like the information related to the history.
keep if up.

http://shinecitybpl.blogspot.com/

HIMANSHU KARKI said...

@raj

thnx buddy u like it.......

i will definitely visit ur Blog :)

Nethra said...

I am learning a lot reading your blog. Actually, I never bothered to read anything else other than Pyramids. Now, I am reading about other monuments too. Cool!
Thanks :)

HIMANSHU KARKI said...

@Nathera

Thnx man...it an owner to me!!

Thnx for telling that my effort is working.... :)

Vivek RdY WaNnA b FuT C.A said...

gr8 knowing about dat gr8 monument about its history nice buddy keep posting

Cindy Sorley-Keichinger said...

Very interesting stuff, and a commentary on how once a people get an idea in their head; there it stays until it is accomplished or discarded!

HIMANSHU KARKI said...

@vivek...
thnx buddy

i will be posting more amazing things of this world.
Keep visiting

vedicanbest said...

really amazing and interesting stuff dude...keep them coming..

Unknown said...

nice blog bro....keep posting ....

Shyam Sunder Pariavakkam said...

Interesting and good information about things that we have all heard about but did not bother to dig deeper into. Thanks for digging into things on everybody's behalf... :)

HIMANSHU KARKI said...

@shyam

thnx sir for appreciating my work

keep visiting :)

vineet said...

very informatv as evry1 said..believe me aftr bermuda post i thought of this thng n dere u r..come up with this post...carry on d chain..

murthy_thehandsome(?) said...

awesome piece of information man... don't have to google everytime i wanna know anything... will just refer ur blog ... nerever knew anything abt leaning tower except its leaning... thanx man..

Mahesh Aadhya Kalal said...

Hi,

It is really informative with comprehensive knowledge....
I would like to read if you can add any social aspect to the posts....

HIMANSHU KARKI said...

@vineet

thnx buddy...u will surely get more amazing post here...... :)

HIMANSHU KARKI said...

@murthy...

u r always welcome friend....
keep visiting :)

VeeKay said...

nice post dude..this blog of urs is really good..I appreciate ur research and knowledge..gr8 work..:)

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