by Subbaram Danda
We could not believe what our tour guide was saying. “The Leaning Tower of Pisa was never intended to be a tilted tower.” With a wry smile, he added, “Ironically, it is this tilt that has brought name and fame to it – and enormous revenue too, from tourism.”
My wife and I were visiting the famous monument as part of a group touring Europe. It was a prominent item on our itinerary. The English-speaking Italian guide was briefing us on it, as our bus approached its precincts. “In fact, it was planned to be a vertically erect eight-storey bell-tower in a cathedral complex. About 850 years ago, when work on it began in all earnestness, everything looked fine. But as the third level was reached, the building began to sink and gradually tilted. It was the result of improper foundation in soft soil, it was realized later.”
Our curiosity grew further. One in our group asked, “Could not corrective steps be taken?” The guide explained, “They did periodically stop work to allow the soil to stabilize naturally, but that did not help much. Subsequently, various other measures were put in place and simultaneously construction too progressed, though by fits and starts. But they only helped in containing the tilt at a reasonable angle. The tower could not be turned fully vertical. Ultimately, it remained a Leaning Tower of Pisa.”
Pisa is a city in the Tuscany region of Central Italy. In the 12th century, its residents were very affluent and they desired to showcase to the world the city’s prominence. Mobilizing funds, they decided to build a Cathedral Square called Piazza dei Duomo with four buildings: a cathedral, a baptistery (where baptism, the formal ceremonious initiation into Christian faith, takes place), a bell tower and a cemetery.
We got off the bus and walked past a long row of shops cluttered with mementoes and curios, warding off pestering salesmen on the way, and reached an arch of welcome leading to the Piazza. As we entered it, the four buildings in muted white came to sight standing majestically on a vast carpet of emerald green lawn against a blue sky. Of course, the cynosure of all eyes was the Leaning Tower of Pisa located at the far end. We made a beeline to it.
Wow, the tower looked stunning. We were seeing it for the first time. The slant was clearly perceptible. The exterior of the eight-storey cylindrical structure in marble, rising to a height of 185 feet, had arches all over. They were supported by more than 200 columns with intricately decorated capitals. The upper-most floor housed seven huge bells. Regarded as the “crowning glory” of the Piazza, the tower was undoubtedly an architectural marvel, though by accident.
Inside, there was a spiral staircase with 293 steps. As we moved in and climbed up and up in a near claustrophobic atmosphere, a scary feeling engulfed us, created by the inclined walls and the slanting steps. For the weak and the weary, there were outlets at frequent intervals to move out of the steps area and relax for a while. At the end, when we reached the highest floor, the exercise proved worthwhile. It was exhilarating to take a 360-degree panoramic view of the city, walking along a circular corridor. Our experience was unique – we were strolling on the tilted roof of a world-famous tower!
One could go near the bells and take a close look. The seven bells had been designed to produce the seven musical notes. They were all big and heavy. Each one had its own name. The largest, called l’Assunta, had a bas-relief representing “the Ascent of Virgin Mary.” It weighed three-and-a-half tons! For a long time the bells were swung with the help of ropes. But in 1930s the practice was discontinued in a bid to maintain the stability of the building. Instead, clappers of the bells were actuated by electromagnets. This system continues to this day.
The tower is credited with some major historical events. We were told that Galileo Galilei, Father of Modern Physics, conducted experiments on gravity from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In the late sixteenth century, the Italian physicist and astronomer climbed to the top floor and dropped two spheres of distinctly different weights. They fell to the ground at the same time, watched by a number of people. He thereby demonstrated that the duration of their descent was not dependent on their mass, thus refuting the view of Aristotle and creating a new chapter in Physics.
During World War II the Nazis of Germany used the tower as an observation post. The allied forces toyed with the idea of shooting it down. But they decided against it, overcome by its majestic appeal. It was thus saved from destruction.
What we noticed was that not many visitors showed interest in visiting the other edifices in the Piazza. The façade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria, with grey and white marble columns and arches was, of course, less attractive. However, the pulpit, sculptures and paintings inside are admirable things of lasting beauty.
The Baptistery with its own dome portraying many intricate masonry decorations offered an “audio-treat” to the visitors. When we were in, a guard let out a high-pitched musical note at a point inside and in a moment it reverberated melodiously and lasted a while.
The cemetery was an elongated and cloistered burial ground with earth reportedly brought from Golgotha, the hill where Jesus was crucified. It also had a large collection of ancient Roman stone coffins and splendid medieval frescoes.
About a million people visit the Piazza dei Duomo every year, with the summer months witnessing major crowds. In 1987, the Piazza was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
On our way back, the guide resumed his talk on the tower. “From the beginning, the slant has been a source of unmitigated worry for the engineers and other specialists, who had to be constantly on the alert. Off and on it was closed for visitors. In recent times too, measures were taken to arrest any fresh tilt. Finally in May 2008 it was declared that the tower has stabilized itself and would not lean any further. It would remain so for at least another 200 years. Currently it stands at an inclination of 3.99 degrees from the vertical.”
Suddenly the guide became emotional. “A few times in its long history, the Leaning Tower of Pisa came painfully close to toppling, throwing up anxious moments. But it never tumbled.”
He added with an air of pride: “The tower is a living miracle. No wonder, the Piazza dei Duomo has come to be known as the Piazza dei Miracoli, the Square of Miracles!”
As we headed back, many thoughts crossed my mind. Why has the modern technology failed to straighten up the tower? On the other hand, why has it not completely fallen over? Is the tilt an act of destiny, as some believe? Is it not strange that it survived the onslaught of World War II? There can be no totally convincing answers. But one thing is clear – tourists will cherish its memories. We were satisfied that we saw a real wonder.
Italy has several symbols of identification like gladiators, gondolas and pizza. But the Leaning Tower of Pisa is certainly the most iconic.
Picture by Subbaram Danda
