The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a concept known to tourists from all over the world.
Torre pendente, as its Italian name is, stands in the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) on the northern outskirts of Pisa and its fame is evident at first sight. The leaning tower functions as the bell tower of the nearby Cathedral of the Assumption and reaches a height of almost 56 metres.
Why is the tower leaning and what is the tilt?
The construction of the bell tower began about a century after the completion of the cathedral, in 1173 to be precise, and lasted almost 200 years. However, a year after construction began, it slowly began to tilt due to the shallow foundations in soft rock. The builders tried to compensate for the tilt by reinforcing the foundations on the tilt side, which did succeed, but only a few years later the tower began to tilt the other way.
So the architects tried to build the upper floors differently, leaning slightly against the direction of the tilt, which again helped and the tilt stopped. However, the project was rethought, the original plan to build the tallest bell tower of the time was abandoned and the tower was topped with a 6th floor in 1373.
During the 20th century, however, the deflection increased to 5 metres and the slope increased to 5.5°. Special construction techniques and the extraction of soft ground have halted and stabilized the tilt at the current 3.97 degrees.
The height of the tower above the surface is exactly 55.86 metres in the lower part and 56.67 metres in the higher part.
Admission and opening hours
The tower has been open to the public again since 2001, so you can climb the stairs to the highest lookout point in Pisa.
The ticket price is 20 eur for ascending the tower and entering the cathedral (which, however, is separately accessible for free).
Entrance to all the buildings in and around the cathedral (including the tower) is 27 eur. Ticket prices are the same for all ages.
The tower is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm during the winter, then in the summer it is open until 7:30 pm.
Official website including ticket purchase: opapisa.it/en
Accommodation at the Leaning Tower
If you want to stay right in the area of the Leaning Tower, you have a choice of several hotels located within a 5-minute walk of the tower. Hotel prices in the area are around 70 eur per night for 2. For example, we would choose the 3* Hotel Pisa Tower or the very stylish and welcoming Helvetia Pisa Tower.
How to get to the tower
The Leaning Tower can be reached on foot from the centre of Pisa in about 15 minutes along a well-marked path. The nearest bus stop is on Via Bonanno and is called Torre. The LAM Rossa line and the 21 line stop here.
Intercity services to Lucca also stop here.
What to see around
Discover all the places to see in Pisa.
