Leaning tower of Pisa 'safe for 300 years'

by Rachel Nixon | May 28, 2008 at 01:31 pm | 722 views | 16 comments

The leaning tower of Pisa will be safely standing for another 300 years, according to an engineer who's been monitoring the somewhat wonky building in Italy.

"All of our expectations have been confirmed," Professor Michele Jamiolkowski, an engineer and geologist, was quoted as telling Italy's leading newspaper, Corriere della Sera.

The tower's tilt of about four metres off the vertical has remained stable in recent years, after a big engineering project that ended in 2001 corrected its lean by about 40 centimetres from where it was in 1990 when the project began.

"Now we can say that the tower can rest easy for at least 300 years," Jamiolkowski told the paper in an article published on Wednesday.

The tower was shut to visitors for almost 12 years from 1990 -- when it was sinking about a millimetre a year -- and reopened in December, 2001 at the end of the biggest phase of the consolidation and restoration project.

The 14,000-tonne free-standing bell tower, an internationally recognised architectural symbol of Italy along with Rome's Colosseum, was built in several stages between 1174 and 1370.

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liamssoft

at 16:18 on May 28th, 2008

good stuff:

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

ConspiracyofHappiness

at 16:29 on May 28th, 2008

According to various guidebooks while we were in Pisa, the tower currently leans approximately 4 meters. It's a much more obvious lean from a distance than up close to the tower itself.

ConspiracyofHappiness has contributed a photo to this story.

Michele Pagano

at 17:26 on May 28th, 2008

The "mistery" of the Leaning Tower

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Nicole Billard

at 17:42 on May 28th, 2008

While this is the oldest (as far as I know) and 'prettiest', it is not the only leaning tower in Italy. Bologna has at least 2, though they are not as popularly known due to the fact that they are quite surrounded by buildings and hard to get good full pictures of. Since a recent trip, I've switched from admiration of the architecture and design to wonder if there was some universal misunderstanding in the engineering of towers in Italy. :o)

SteamPirate

at 18:16 on May 28th, 2008

The leaning tower on April 23, 2008

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courtneycooke

at 19:44 on May 28th, 2008

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a remarkable piece of architecture. When in Italy you must make time to stop and gaze at this wonder of the world.

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akima2000

at 20:51 on May 28th, 2008

akima2000 has contributed a photo to this story.

akima2000

at 20:53 on May 28th, 2008

Not exactly an original pic

Jennings David L

at 23:20 on May 28th, 2008

good stuff:

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff. Famous last words, "safe for another 300 years". I wonder if Vegas is taking odds on how long it will stand.

Oleg_Ivanov

at 03:01 on May 29th, 2008

I had to wait for 3 hours to get to the Tower because of queue, but I spent it in very pleasant way - I've took a 10 km ride to Marina di Pisa, it's a very nice town on a sea coast, and had a walk and dinner there. View from the top of tower is very exciting, and it worth to wait for it.

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hoschiewan

at 04:35 on May 29th, 2008

thank you :)

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GerCMByrne

at 04:36 on May 29th, 2008

good stuff:

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

karlah1

at 06:07 on May 29th, 2008

The leaning tower of Pisa on a stormy April afternoon.

karlah1 has contributed a photo to this story.

stvalentine

at 06:24 on May 29th, 2008

good stuff:

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

mciocca

at 07:17 on May 29th, 2008

Pisa Tower, 2007

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SaraToday

at 08:04 on June 2nd, 2008

After seeing so many photographs the Tower at first does not seem so amazing. But after walking around for awhile it becomes very disconcerting. I am glad we stopped for an evening in Pisa; seeing the Tower ended up being one of my favorite parts of our trip to Italy.

SaraToday has contributed a photo to this story.