![]() ![]() The cause was a flawed design - it had a foundation that was only three-metres deep set in weak, unstable subsoil. Its angle was previously 5.5 degrees from the perpendicular, but is now only 3.99 degrees off straight.Įxperts say the seven-storey bell tower should now be safe from further intervention for at least the next 200 years.īut how did the tower achieve its lean? The most respected theory suggests the tower began to sink after construction - which began in 1173 - had progressed to the third floor after five years. In 2010 restorers made the tower even more stable by removing soil from beneath one side of its foundations. The tower attracts over one million visitors a year. The tower was reopened to the public in 2001 and remained open throughout a restoration costing almost £6million - partly to keep tourists happy, but partly because the revenue from ticket sales helped pay for the upkeep. 'The tower was on the verge of collapse, but we managed to stop the tilt and secure it,' said Giuseppe Bentivoglio, from the Opera Primaziale organisation that preserves the tower. Preservation: In 2010 restorers helped stabilise the Leaning Tower of Pisa's tilt by removing soil from beneath one side of its foundations
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |