The Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli
The most famous tilt in the world, in a field of white marble
On a vast green lawn just inside the city walls, Pisa built in the eleventh to fourteenth centuries the monuments of its golden age as a maritime republic: the cathedral, the Baptistery, the bell tower and the monumental cemetery. The poet Gabriele D'Annunzio called it the "Field of Miracles", and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The bell tower began to lean during construction, in 1173, because of the soft soil beneath it. Work stopped and resumed several times, and the builders tried to correct the tilt by making the upper floors curve. After stabilisation work between 1990 and 2001, the Leaning Tower leans about four degrees. Climbing its 251 steps you feel the slope under your feet. The cathedral, with Giovanni Pisano's pulpit, and the round Baptistery, famous for its echo, are just as remarkable.
Tip: tickets for the tower are sold by time slot; children under eight are not allowed to climb. Come early in the morning to see the square without crowds.
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