The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most recognisable buildings in the world, but probably not for the reasons its original designers intended! Located in the city of Pisa in Italy, this architectural marvel has been delighting visitors for centuries with its gravity-defying incline. Here are a few facts about the Tower of Pisa that you probably didn’t know:

1. It took nearly 200 years to build, but began to lean just 5 years into construction!
2. It’s said, Galileo dropped 2 cannon balls of different masses from the tower to demonstrate their speed of descent was independent of their mass.
3. The identity of the architect who designed this legendary masterpiece remains a mystery.
4. There are 2 spiral staircases to the top, one has 294 steps and the other 296 to account for the tilt on one side.
5. The Italian government spent decades trying to stabilise the Tower to stop it falling over, but wanted to ensure it maintained its current tilt so visitors could continue to enjoy seeing its world-famous “lean”.
6. The Tower is actually the freestanding bell tower of the Cathedral of Pisa, which together with a third monument in Piazza del Duomo, form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
7. After centuries of adjustments, the Tower stopped moving for the first time in its history in 2008 and will be stable for at least the next 200 years…plenty of time to book your cheap flights to Pisa to see it!

Tower of Pisa

Photos: Stairs inside the Leaning Tower of Pisa by Andy Hay, Tower of Pisa and Cathedral by MCPig, Tower of Pisa by HarshLight.