The Leaning Tower of Pisa, a medieval architecture in Romanesque style, is located in Cathedral Square in Pisa. Its construction began in 1173 and was completed in 1399. Designed by Bonanno Pisano, Gherardo di Gherardo, Giovanni Pisano and Giovanni de Simone, this tower is also known as the Bell Tower of Pisa. The original completed height of the tower was 60 metres. However, after the tilt, it is 56.67 m on the highest side and 55.86 on the lowest side. The outer diameter at the base is 15.84 m., while the width of the walls is 2.44 m. Constructed in white marble, three of its eight stories had been completed, when the uneven settling of the building’s foundation in the soft ground became noticeable. But nothing happened for a century because of war and economic strife and that allowed the tower’s foundation to settle and likely prevented its early collapse. With an approximate weight of 14,500 tons, twin spiral staircases are lined in the interiors, with 294 steps leading from the ground to the bell chamber (one staircase incorporates two additional steps to compensate for the tower’s lean). Over the next four centuries, the tower’s seven bells were installed; the largest weighed more than 3,600 kg (nearly 8,000 pounds). By the early 20th century, however, the heavier bells were silenced, as it was believed that their movement could potentially worsen the tower’s lean. Earth was siphoned from underneath the foundation, decreasing the lean by 17 inches (44 cm) to 13.5 feet (4.1 metres); the work was completed in May 2001, and the structure was reopened to visitors. The tower continued to straighten without further excavation, until in May 2008 sensors showed that the motion had finally stopped, at a total improvement of 19 inches (48 cm). Engineers expect the tower to remain stable for at least 200 years. The Cathedral Square, where the tower is located, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
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