Leaning Tower of Pisa: 10 Fun Facts

1. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is located in Tuscany, the birthplace of the Renaissance. It is the period of Europe's transition from medieval to early modern, but there's much to tell about the historical part. Let's just say this is where you'll find some well-known museums. If you're a Percy Jackson fan, then you're familiar with some of the landmarks. If you know the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then you have an idea of the artists who designed and built them.

2. Pisa is the capital of the province of Pisa, located northwest of Tuscany. No one knows the origin of the metropolis, but there have been a discovery of ruins beneath the sea not far from the city. There's not enough evidence to conclude if this is Greek in origin, which makes you wish there's a time machine.

3. The tower is found in the wide-walled area called the Square of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli). The name was created by Gabriele D'Annunzio, who had a prominent place in Italian literature. Percy and the other demigods didn't encounter him, so you need to do a Google research to know more about the guy.

4. Construction began on the Tower of Pisa on August 9, 1173. It took almost two hundred years to complete. There were no records that could reveal the brilliant architect behind this manmade wonder. Many locals believe it was Bonnano Pisano, a noted sculptor from the twelve century. His sarcophagus was discovered at the foot of the leaning tower, which led to that conclusion. If we could only turn back time.

5. It's true that the structure is tilting. This was the reason completion took a long time, as construction was halted when it was half finished. This allowed the underlying soil to settle and compact. It would have tumbled otherwise.

6. To prove that velocity is independent of mass, Galileo Galilei went up the tower and dropped two balls of different masses. Vicenzo Viviani, noted mathematician and scientist, would attest to that. He happened to be Galileo's disciple, but there were no other to verify this. 

7. It was 1964 when the tower was in serious danger of falling over. It took the Italian government a few decades of consultation and preparatory efforts before it was closed to the public. It happened on 1990. Reconstruction took years. Experts are confident that the structure will remain stable in the next few centuries.

8. The tower could have been in ruins after World War II, as the Germans used it to look out for enemies. The Allied forces were against the idea of bombing it and the rest of the square. The reason was too obvious.

9. Pisa isn't the only tilting structure in the world. In Suurhusen, a village in northwestern Germany, you'll find a steeple built during the late Medieval period. The Guinness World Records declare it the most tilted tower in the world. The architect and builders of Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi would disagree, as the skyscraper inclines further. But theirs is intentional.

10. Lego introduced the Lego Architecture in 2008, a sub-brand featuring famous architectural buildings in micro-scale. The Leaning Tower of Pisa was released in 2013.