The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the freestanding bell tower of the cathedral of Pisa, in the Piazza dei Miracoli. Construction began in 1173 and was interrupted by wars, and the tower started to lean when the builders reached the third floor, as it stood on soft, unstable ground. Work resumed in the late thirteenth century, with the upper floors built with a slight curve to compensate, and the bell chamber was completed in the fourteenth century. The tilt continued to increase until a stabilisation project between 1990 and 2001 reduced it and made the tower safe. According to legend, Galileo dropped weights from it to test falling bodies, though this story is probably not true. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Before and after
- from 1370 to 1507Timurid Empire
- 1371Rise of House of Stuart
- 1371Birth of Zheng He
- from 1373 to 1379Byzantine civil war of 1373–1379
- 1373Construction of Leaning Tower of Pisa
- 19 July 1374Death of Petrarch
- from 1375 to 1378War of the Eight Saints
- from 1375 to 1468Qara Qoyunlu
- 21 December 1375Death of Giovanni Boccaccio
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- 8th centuryConstruction of Borobudur Temple
- from 11th century to 18th centuryHouse of Habsburg
- from 1206 to 1368Mongol Empire
- 1239Construction of Alhambra
- 1420Construction of Kremlin
- 1473Construction of Sistine Chapel
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 14th century.