Pisa - Leaning Tower

The Leaning Tower is the main tourist attraction in Pisa. Zillions of photos are taken here each week.

Some decades again a discussion started, how to prevent the tower from toppling. 800 tonnes of lead counterweights got installed. In 1989, after a medieval tower in Pavia had collapsed, the Leaning Tower was closed to the public. Engineers were able to straighten the tower by 45 cms and the tower was opened to the public again end of 2001.

The engineers returned - and in 2008 they had installed underground cables to the secure the tower. What not many people know, is, that over nighttime, the tower is moved in an upright position. Then all motors holding the cables are switched off. Power consumption is zero - and 1 terawatt of electricity is saved each year.

Here is the tower seen in the upright night-position.