Leaning Tower of Pisa


A dramatically leaning tower in the city of Pisa in Italy, built as a bell tower for the cathedral (see also cathedral) of the city; the tower dates from the twelfth century. Soon after its construction, the foundation sank, causing the tower to lean.

Notes for Leaning Tower of Pisa

Closed to the public in 1990, the tower was reopened in the early twenty-first century after engineers reduced the rate of inclination by about sixteen inches.

Words Nearby Leaning Tower of Pisa

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.