Spring Fling in Italy V: Pisa

Ask almost any child to draw something from Italy and more often than not, you will see them draw a picture of The Leaning Tower of Pisa! It’s just one of those iconic symbols of Italy, just as the Statue of Liberty is to the US and the Eiffel Tower is to France…

So I was especially looking forward to seeing the tower in person. However, to be honest, I knew very little of the Tower's history, its' purpose or even when it may fall over. But, I did find out that the only ones to call it "The Leaning Tower of Pisa” are mostly Americans.

Pisa is a short 30 minute drive from our villa in Lucca. And as in most Italian cities, it is best to park outside the city and take public transportation in.



Arriving in Pisa after navigating past some unexpected “traffic” in Lucca, we found a parking site just outside of the city, where we boarded a bus line to take us to Piazza del Duomo, or Cathedral Square.



The tower was actually the bell tower for the cathedral next door. Construction of the bell tower was started in 1173, but as the third floor was being built, it was discovered that the building was beginning to tilt. The main causes were due to the extreme weight of all the marble used in the building, in combination with the unstable soil.



Fortunately (for the tower, at least), Pisa was still involved in wars with neighboring regions that caused construction to be stopped for almost 100 years, thus allowing the foundation extra time to settle in. When construction resumed, the engineers designed floors that were thicker on one side than the other, to compensate for the angle of the lean. This gives the tower its curved shape.

The tower has since undergone several engineering analyses to determine the best way to keep it from falling down. Today, it appears that all of the countermeasures taken have stabilized the tower for the first time in history.



After taking the obligatory “leaning on the tower of Pisa” photos, the girls and I stopped at a deli across from the tower and bought foccacia sandwiches that we ate on the grassy area in front of the tower and cathedral. It was a beautiful day and perfect for a picnic lunch. Afterwards, Jo and DS went shopping for souvenirs in the row of gift stands while PS and I played on the grass.



A short drive later, we were back at home in our villa, preparing for another outdoor dinner on the terrace. The girls have been on extremely good behavior lately and have been real troopers during the daytime excursions.

Tomorrow, we will head out and see Siena. The girls know that there is some yummy gelato coming their way soon, so we hope that their good behavior will continue. Its amazing how powerful the promise of gelato can be!