This time we will discuss about the leaning tower of Pisa, most people ask whether the leaning tower will really collapse? The “slanted” shape of the tower of Pisa is the main attraction where millions of people come to Rome, Italia every year to see this leaning tower which has resisted the earth’s gravity for centuries.
A question is how much longer the iconic Italian dance will last, will it really collapse again or vice versa.
Leaning Tower Of Pisa Really Falling Over?
Construction began on the Bell tower in the piazza del duomo or in the so-called Cathedral square 1173. Construction on the tower construction was in disrepair for two centuries which was interrupted by war. Even from the first two floors if you notice there is a slope to the south. The cause of the slope of this iconic building is the condition of the soft ground at the bottom. This happens because the water level in that area causes the ground surface to become soft.
After knowing the tower is leaning, the workers do not immediately cancel the construction but think of the best way without having to lose. They then built each floor at every angle to correct the slope, and this only made the tower even more tilted. Then the tower is shaped a bit like a banana, says Gabriele Fiorentino, a Marie Curie research fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.
Then in 1370, the Leaning Tower of Pisa at an angle of 1.6 degrees. When finished, what happened was a hollow structure with a height of 8 stories. Its height is 196 feet or 60 meters. The rocks used are crushed stone and mortar, and these are covered with marble, columns, and domes.
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The slope of the tower is getting more and more tilted and until now it has become 5.5 degrees from the previous only 1.6 degrees. This led the Italian government to take steps to protect the precious landmark, according to Fiorentino. In 1990, it was appointed a committee of experts to mitigate the lean — But without eliminating it and not eliminating the attraction of tourists who are too in love with the leaning-shaped tower, because this is considered unique and precisely because of this slope many tourists come to see it and many have immortalized it in photo. Just imagine if the tower was straight, it certainly wouldn’t be as lively as today.
The leaning tower is a symbol of Italy, Fiorentino told Live Science. “There is a great debate around how much we can change about the monument. … It’s part of the culture.”
In repairing and preventing the collapse of the leaning tower of Pisa, the first committee attached 600 tons or 544 metric tons of lead to the base of the north side of the tower and this was done in 1993. This was expected to compensate for the sinking south side, but this did not stop the slope, even then they again added about 300 tons or 272 metric tons of lead on the north side. Then after more brainstorming, the committee attempted “underexcavation” — this used a long tube and drill to non-invasively remove soil on the north side.
When the soil is removed, the structure of the “leaning tower of Pisa” begins to move northward. This effort reduces the slope of the tower by about 10% so that the slope is now 5 degrees.
“When they did it, they said they [turned] back the clock of the tower by 200 years,” Fiorentino said.
According to them it is only a temporary repair and can not be sure how long this leaning tower will last and become a symbol of Italy. According to them, about 300 years into the future, this tower could tilt back at an angle of 5.5 degrees. But for the time being, the tower is safe for some reason, Fiorentino said.
Reason one: Damage and the first interruption to the tower foundation allowed time for this leaning tower structure to settle in malleable soil. This will strengthen the structure in the next building.
Another reason: The lower part of the tower which is thicker than the tower makes the building stronger and unlikely to collapse quickly. Its center of mass is lower than the ground and this makes the tower more stable.
Fiorentino’s own research has investigated why the leaning tower of Pisa has remained strong during several earthquakes, even though the slope is very alarming. He and his friends know that this building has a certain size of vibration to be able to collapse and within a certain duration so that earthquakes that occur frequently are considered safe.
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Indeed, no physical intervention is planned, the tower is monitored continuously with instruments and measures the slope on a scale. This also includes measuring the slope with the water level. Meanwhile, the history of the iconic building that became the symbol of the Italian state will continue to stand strong and continue to bring in many tourists from all over the world to take a close look at its uniqueness.
Want to Claim The Tower of Pisa, You have to Book a Ticket First
For those of you who want to climb the leaning tower, the number is limited, only 45 people are allowed to ride once and children under 8 years are not allowed to enter or climb to the top of the tower of Pisa.
For those of you who want to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you are required to order tickets online in advance so you won’t be disappointed later. You can also come directly to the ticket office. The visit to the tower of pisa only lasts 35 minutes and you have to climb a number of stairs which amount to about 251 steps.
All bags, handbags, must be kept at the baggage desk and this is free at the ticket office. the camera is the only thing you can take with you. So, for those of you who enter and climb the tower of Pisa, don’t forget to capture this precious moment with your favorite camera.
