Why does the leaning tower of Pisa…lean? 🤌
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Ciao Bella!
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I’ll admit.
Might be a stupid question..
But why does The Leaning Tower of Pisa…
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa3548aa501a68d83a9_2.webp)
…ya know…lean?
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa1ba89b430dee15de6_3.webp)
Well the year’s 1100-something.
Pisa, Italy.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa187bd2b86f7c62e5c_4.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa29b0e28d1a22a7447_5.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa1fe38384a16fede37_6.webp)
So the architects get to work.
And because the new bell tower of Pisa would be a relatively short structure, they decide they’ll need just three meters of support underground.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa1ba7b05f894185084_7.webp)
Tiny problem…
These early Italians don’t speak ancient Greek.
And ‘Pisa’ in ancient greek means marshy land 🤦
So 5 years after they constructed their bell tower on only ~3 meters~ of support, its southern side was already underground:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa16ebd22b3b5e1c650_8.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa1b029fba1d921044f_9.webp)
Never fear!
A new architect comes to town – Giovanni di Simone:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa1e35397ff0739577f_10.webp)
His ingenious proposition?
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa1ca8dde5165c65b90_11.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa10913f59b72978f86_12.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa182ca412baae2a1ef_13.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa2674e425a260c9825_14.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa1c8068cc5cba5fd40_15.webp)
So they did!
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa193ae938c075e275d_16.webp)
But that adds more weight and sinks the tower further…
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa2a70b0dacf275cfe5_17.webp)
Never fear!
Famed architect Mussolini comes to town:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa35e3a919af4320c23_18.webp)
This stupid f*cking leaning tower was really embarrassing for Mussolini.
So he tells his engineers to pump more concrete into its base.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa2400736d8e96bdd8b_19.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa2c27e281aa9c209b1_20.webp)
Ya it got worse.
But in 1992, the engineers actually get smart.
They drill diagonal tunnels underneath the tower’s north end:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa20913f59b72978fcc_21.webp)
And slowly remove material from under just one side.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa11cfd223398d6e071_22.webp)
Gravity works!
The tower straightened…!
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/65249aa2400736d8e96bdd9c_23.webp)
…to a stable-ish tilt of 4 degrees.
Stay Cute,
Henry & Dylan 🌈
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