Leaning Tower of Pisa ‘now leaning less’
The Leaning Tower of Pisa has survived and is undamaged even though the area has been hit by at least four strong earthquakes since 1280.
TUSCANY: Thousands of tourists who visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy every year will surely choose to pose in style as if they are holding it back from falling.
However, a recent study revealed that the tower is becoming more vertical as a result of the stabilization works.
An 11-year stabilization project reduced its tilt by 15 inches by 2001, and in the 21 years since then, the tower has grown another 1.6 inches (4cm).
Although the tilt has been reduced, it still wobbles at an average of about 0.02 inches (0.5 mm) a year, according to geotechnical professor Nunziante Squeglia of the University of Pisa.
“However, what is most important is the stability of the tower, which is better than expected,” he told the Italian National Associated Press Agency (ANSA).
The medieval bell tower has survived unscathed even though the area has been hit by at least four strong earthquakes since 1280.
A study in 2018 found that the softness of the underlying soil, which is a factor in its tilt, successfully protects it from strong tremors.
Experts believe that advances in technology will allow the tower to be fully upright one day.
