Climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa....

Day 2 in Florence, we catch a train & a bus too go see the Leaning Tower of Pisa....The day is drizzling, but doesn't dampen our spirits. Paul saw through an arch, the leaning Tower of Pisa, so we quickly jump off the bus & can't believe the angle the Tower is on. The tower was built as the bell tower for the Cathedral of the Italian City of Pisa. The towers tilt began during construction, caused by inadequate foundations on one side, as the ground was too soft to support the structures weight. The tilt increased, in the decades before the structure was completed, & gradually increased until the structure was stabilized (and the tilt partially corrected). Prior to restoration worked performed 1990 & 2001, the tower leaned at a angle of 5. 5 degrees, but now leans at about 4 degrees. This means the top is out 3.9metres from the base of the structure being square!!!
As you walk up this amazing monument, you move from centre of the stairs to hugging the wall as you go up the 296 steps, due to the lean!!! It has seven bells in the tower, one for each musical note. We were fortunate to be in the bell tower when the bells sounded at 11am.

The square of Miracles....

The Cathedral & Bell Tower....

Us at the Leaning Tower of Pisa....

Paul trying to correct the lean....

Spiral Staircase straight to the top....

Paul at the top of the Bell Tower......

Views from the top......

Pretty views at the top....

On our way back to Florence our train was delayed for a hour, which meant that it was too late to do much more for the day. We went out for dinner & walked through the street of Florence, its not too cold here of a night, quite pleasant, no gloves required.......