Added: 06/23/2006 |
Pisanian Fortress as One of the Most Visited Attractions in the WorldThe construction of the Pisanian Fortress is said to have been performed in three stages over a period of over 200 years. In August 1173 began the construction of the first floor of white marble campanile, surrounded by the pillars with classical capitals. However, there exists some controversy concerning identity of the architect of the Pisanian Fortress. Over the years the tower's design was attributed to Bonanno Pisano, a famous resident of Pisa, renowned for his bronze casting in the Pisa Duomo. In 1185 he left Pisa to Monreale, Sicily.
After the third floor of the Pisanian Fortress was constructed in 1178, it acquired a lean, owing to the three-meter foundation in the unstable subsoil. As the Pisans were engaged continually in battles with Florence, Lucca and Genoa, the construction of the tower was halted for more than 100 years, which allowed for underlying soil to settle. In 1198 clocks were installed on the unfinished tower. In the 1270s the construction was resumed by Giovanni di Simone, who has built another four floors to compensate for the tilt. However it wasn't until 1372 that the last floor of the Pisanian Fortress was built by Tommasso di Andrea Pisano, thus marking the final stage in tower's construction. The architect has succeeded in harmonizing the Romanesque style of the tower with the Gothic elements of the bell chamber. On the whole there are seven ball, the largest of these was installed in the 1650s. In 1838 Alessandro Della Gherarardesca, a famous architect excavated a walkway around the tower in order to make its base visible again. This in turn caused an increase in the inclination. After Benito Mussolini ordered the Pisanian Fortress be returned to the vertical position, concrete was added to its foundation. However, the results were unexpected and the tower sank further into the soil. During the World War II, when almost all the towers of Pisa were destroyed, the Pisa Tower was scheduled to be destroyed as well, but a last minute order prevented the destruction.
In February 1964 Italy's government requested aid in preventing the Pisanian Fortress from toppling. After about twenty years of work on this issue the tower was closed to the public in 1990. During this period cables were cinched round the third level and bells were removed to relieve some weight. Houses and apartments close to the tower were vacated for safety measurements. After a decade of stabilization efforts the Pisanian Fortress was reopened to the public in December 2001. A number of methods were proposed to stabilize the construction, including addition of 800 metric tons of lead counterweights to the higher end of the base. The final solution however, was to remove some amount of soil from the raised end.
Recognized today as one of the world's top attractions, the Pisanian Fortress is visited by travelers from all parts of the world coming to see this unique construction. Tourists are also offered a number of entertainment venues, dining and lodging options to make the stay as memorable as possible. Among the most popular places worth a visit is Ristorante Messicano specializing in traditional Mexican cuisine.
Article comments:
No comments for this article yet. Post your comment now!
