9th August 1173: Construction begins on the Leaning Tower of Pisa
13.1 هزار بار بازدید -
5 سال پیش
-
By the twelfth century, the
By the twelfth century, the city of Pisa had become an important sea port and one of the four main historical maritime republics of Italy. Its sizeable fleet secured a commercial and political influence that extended across the Mediterranean, allowing Pisa to gain considerable wealth.
As a sign of this prosperity the city began construction of a religious complex, the Square of Miracles, which would be dominated by a mighty cathedral and its free-standing bell tower or campanile. The cathedral was consecrated in 1118, but work didn’t begin on the campanile for another five decades. The foundations were eventually laid on 9 August 1173.
The most notable feature of the tower is its tilt, which first became apparent with completion of the second floor in 1178. The ground beneath the tower is weak and unstable and, with the building having just 3 metres of foundations, its weight had begun to compress the soft subsoil.
In an attempt to correct the lean, the upper floors of the tower were built with one side slightly taller than the other. However this only led to the tower sinking even further, increasing the angle of the tilt that eventually reached more than 5 degrees in the 1990s.
In response to the imminent threat of the tower toppling over, a team of engineers eventually chose to remove more than 70 tons of soil beneath the raised side of the structure. This allowed the famous tower to straighten slightly, returning to an angle where it became safe for the public to climb the 294 steps inside. It continues to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.
As a sign of this prosperity the city began construction of a religious complex, the Square of Miracles, which would be dominated by a mighty cathedral and its free-standing bell tower or campanile. The cathedral was consecrated in 1118, but work didn’t begin on the campanile for another five decades. The foundations were eventually laid on 9 August 1173.
The most notable feature of the tower is its tilt, which first became apparent with completion of the second floor in 1178. The ground beneath the tower is weak and unstable and, with the building having just 3 metres of foundations, its weight had begun to compress the soft subsoil.
In an attempt to correct the lean, the upper floors of the tower were built with one side slightly taller than the other. However this only led to the tower sinking even further, increasing the angle of the tilt that eventually reached more than 5 degrees in the 1990s.
In response to the imminent threat of the tower toppling over, a team of engineers eventually chose to remove more than 70 tons of soil beneath the raised side of the structure. This allowed the famous tower to straighten slightly, returning to an angle where it became safe for the public to climb the 294 steps inside. It continues to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.
5 سال پیش
در تاریخ 1398/05/17 منتشر شده
است.
13,120
بـار بازدید شده