The Tower of Pisa

Torre Pendente di Pisa, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a bell tower in Pisa, Italy; it is located next to the Duomo (Cathedral) of Pisa. The bell tower was built on August 14, 1173. There is inconsistency about the original designer of the tower. Diotisalvi is the actual architect and there was a contribution by the designers Guglielmo and Bonanno Pisano. Tomasso di Andrea da Pontedera realized that the tower began to lean during construction, when reaching the second floor, due to the soft and unstable land; while builders tried to find a solution for the tilt by supporting construction, the building was paused for a while, and construction stopped again after 1284 because the Republic of Pisa was engaged in fights with Genoa, Lucca, and Florence but resumed in 1272 and the seventh floor was completed in 1319.The tower was finally completed in 1372. The duration to complete the tower was about 200 years. Due to the tower’s age, currently the tower is under surface restoration to overhaul visual damage.

 

The Tower of Pisa project was designed and planned by Guglielmo and Bonanno Pisano, a prominent 12th century artist based in Pisa. The original purpose was to act as a bell tower for the Pisa Cathedral. However, it was also argued that it served no practical purpose except for boasting and showing off to the whole world Pisa’s riches and power, especially since Pisa had won many victories hence resembling a super power. To some extent, its purpose was also associated with boasting to the nemesis of Pisa, Florence, about Pisa’s power and influence. The construction of the tower commenced on 9th August 1173 in the City of Pisa, Italy at Piazza dei Miracoli. The area where the construction was planned measured 7,000 sq m. this construction was commissioned by the city of Pisa.   It was also estimated to be very costly to a tune of about 18-19 million dollars in overall cost. Bonnano Pisano and Deotiusalvi undertook the duty of constructing it using materials such as rocks, cement, wood, and stone from within Italy. Later on, limitations emerged through the shortcomings realized after the completion of the second floor (11m high). Due to problems such as bankruptcy, a slowly sinking base and the vertical deflection error (4cm), Bonnano Pisano abandoned the whole project after five years and left the city to go to Monreale in Sicily, leaving behind his bronze castings in the Tower. Later on though, Bonnano Pisano died in his home town. It is also argued that Deotiusalvi was the architect while Giovanni di Simone remained a prominent figure in the final phase of the project. It is also stated that he continued the whole project to its climax under Giovanni Pisano’s directions.

 

Construction of the Tower of Pisa progressed very slowly and took a long time to complete; given that it begun on 9th August 1173 and ended in the year 1350, approximately 200 years down the line.  The reason for the long duration in construction is attributed to the constant battles that bedeviled the city during that period hence constructors worked on and off depending on the situation at hand. While its construction cost could not be established, its restoration during the year 1990 cost the taxpayers US$25 million. This followed after the world at large was concerned about its significance and its increased leaning. Recently the Tower is restored and continues to serve various national and global interests.

 

The Tower of Pisa’s value both in the past and at the present can never be underrated. Ever since it was completed, the Tower of Pisa has remained a dominant feature globally. The Tower of Pisa currently holds a great significance in the world owing to various factors including the tourism potential. Despite its past, the Tower of Pisa is currently among the main tourist attractions globally. It is also in this particular tower that Galileo Galilei dropped the two balls with different masses to understand the relationship between mass and speed. In addition to this, the tower became declared as a world heritage site and famed for over 800 years of gravity-defying leaning, the Tower of Pisa is no doubt one of the most interesting phenomena in the world and yet the most challenging to engineers. Whilst considering its historical development and its current global status, it could be deduced that the significant transformations have not only stabilized the tower but have additionally added to its appeal.

 

References

"  Leaning Tower of Pisa History, Facts & Location – Italy."   Famous Wonders of the World – Best Places to Visit & Travel. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://famouswonders.com/leaning-tower-of-pisa/>.

" The architecture ."  Home page . N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://www.opapisa.it/en/miracles-square/leaning-tower/the-architecture.html>.

"Construction of the Leaning Tower of Pisa." The Leaning Tower of Pisa | Travel Guide, History And Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://www.leaningtowerofpisa.net/tower-of-pisa-construction.html>.

"Leaning Tower of Pisa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa>.

Pierotti, Prof. Piero. "Leaning Tower of Pisa: The Bells." The Unofficial Leaning Tower of Pisa Web Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://www.pisabelltower.com/ltpinfo/belltower.htm>.

method, using this, and where it was in 1838. The top of the tower now leans just over 13 feet (4 meters) off center.. "Tower of Pisa: The Leaning Tower of Pisa." Construction Industry News: Construction Industry News, Tips and Materials. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://construction.about.com/od/Benchmark-Projects/a/The-Tower-Of-Pisa-What-We-Learned.htm>.