![]() ![]() I thanked him profusely with a mille grazie and hollered for Jenn and Helen to join me at the bus stop. We were having trouble communicating in our mangled Italian/English, so he grabbed my hand, walked me 500 feet around a corner, and deposited me at a bus stop with firm instructions on which bus to take. My cousin and I have a bit of Italian under our belts, and Jenn speaks Spanish, so we split up to question strangers on how to get to the tower.Įventually, a really nice Italian guy took pity on me. With the sun beating down on us, it added a good bit of pressure for us to make quick work of sussing out directions to the Leaning Tower and get on our way.Īt the time, we searched the bus timetable for directions, but the tower wasn’t directly listed. ![]() For that reason, my friends and I had our backpacks with us. There is a great self-service luggage storage option at the Pisa-Centrale train station that didn’t exist when I first visited as a day trip. We were in Pisa for just a couple of hours for pictures of the tower, lunch, and then onward to Florence. Or it’s a cinch to hop off the train for a few hours, visit the Leaning Tower, and then catch another train to your next stop. But it’s not necessary-Pisa is an easy day trip from Florence. That’s because many travelers visit Pisa on a tour. Without that though, and with noticeably few other tourists near the train station, it took a bit of figuring out. Now, it’s a cinch to buy a SIM card when you land in Italy and then you have Google Maps ready to point you to the fastest bus route. Call it poor planning on our parts, but we had neither a map nor directions on how to actually get to the Leaning Tower (and my first visit to Pisa was way back in the pre-smartphone days). When we left the Pisa train station, my seeking gaze was disappointed. Hot tip: The Leaning Tower of Pisa is not near the Pisa-Centrale station. My friends and I hopped off the train in Pisa, and I am not sure why, but for some reason I expected the leaning tower to immediately within sight. Getting to the Leaning Tower of Pisa Iconic views of Pisa, including the sites in the Square of Miracles. The more intricate history detailed in TILT: A Skewed History of the Tower of Pisa is a fascinating source for additional information. This effort was successful in reducing the tilt by a small amount, and the tower is now considered stable. In 2001, a team of engineers worked to reduce the tilt of the tower by removing soil from underneath the foundation on the high side of the lean. ![]() In later centuries, engineers replaced many of the lower columns with stronger materials to withstand the weight of the tower. The builders tried to compensate by making the columns on the lower side of the tower taller, but this only made the problem worse. ![]() Over the centuries, attempts were made to correct the lean. As soon as the builders started constructing the second story, the tower began to sink and tilt. Rather, the tower began to tilt during construction because the soft ground on one side of the site could not support the weight of the tower’s foundation. Contrary to popular belief, the tower did not start leaning due to an earthquake or shifting earth. Here’s what you need to know about visiting Pisa on a stopover or a day trip.Ī sunny day at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.īefore visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa either solo or on a tour, it’s worth knowing a quick rundown on its history.Ĭonstruction on the Leaning Tower of Pisa began in 1173 and continued for just shy of 200 years before it was completed in 1372. Pisa just begs Florence-bound travelers to pop into town for a little exploration and a few quick shots in front of this iconic Italian building. Since my friends and I had just hiked Cinque Terre, and were taking the train to Florence, it made sense to spend a few hours in Pisa, since you stop there anyway. The Piazza del Duomo in Pisa is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and I make a point of visiting these notable cultural, natural, and historical landmarks where ever I go. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Piazza del Duomo in Pisa is worth visiting. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of Italy’s most famous landmarks and I needed to see it for myself-not only for the cheesy photo, but because the tower stands as a testament to the architectural and engineering achievements of the medieval era. Although I usually record the iconic places I’ve visited with jumping shots, there’s only one pose that’s appropriate for the Leaning Tower of Pisa! What world travel is complete without a classically cheesy photo holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. ![]()
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