Over 32 years, the Leaning Tower of Pisa “rose” by almost half a meter.

The famous “falling” Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy continues to straighten up.

According to the Daily Mail with reference to data from the Opera Primaziale della Pisana (OPA) preservation organization, as a result of an 11-year project to stabilize the tower, launched in 1990, by 2001 its slope had decreased by approximately 40 centimeters, and in the following 21 year, the tower straightened another 4 centimeters.

According to geotechnical professor Nunciante Scuelli of the University of Pisa, although the tower’s tilt has decreased, it still fluctuates by an average of about 0.5 mm per year.

“Although the most important thing is the stability of the bell tower, which is better than expected,” he told the Italian national agency Associated Press (ANSA). – “Considering that this is an 850-year-old patient with an inclination of about five meters and a subsidence of more than three meters, the health of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is excellent.”

Why the Leaning Tower of Pisa “falls”

The medieval bell tower, a symbol of the power of the seaside republic of Pisa in the Middle Ages, managed to survive at least four strong earthquakes that hit the region since 1280. A 2018 study found that it was the softness of the foundation’s soil, which initially caused it to tilt, that protected the tower from strong shocks.

Scientists assume that the 57-meter tower began to “sink” immediately after construction, which began in 1173. The reason was improper construction, due to which the foundation was only three meters deep and was laid in weak and unstable soil. This base was softer on the south side, leading to a tilt, so the builders tried to compensate for this as they built another eight stories up, making the floors shorter on one side than the other, causing the structure to bend and tilt.

In 1990, scientists began to seriously save the tower. After using several unsuccessful strategies to straighten the structure, the engineers decided to try “soil extraction”. This involved digging out two truckloads of earth from under the north side of the tower and then using steel cables to lift it upright. Although this was effective, the team found that the house leaned more during winter rains because the groundwater table beneath its north side was higher. So they also had to dig drains so the water could flow down the well and keep the foundation stable.

Scientists predict that this way the Leaning Tower of Pisa will be safe for the next 300 years. They also believe that technological progress will lead to the fact that one day the tower will be completely upright.

Read the latest tourism news, look for travel ideas and see picturesque photos from around the world on the Telegram channel. Tourism.