Famous "Falling Towers"

Leaning Towers

There are quite a few leaning towers in the world that have deviated from the vertical position for various reasons and are threatening to topple. Usually, the tilt of the towers occurs due to changes in soil properties or due to construction errors during the laying of foundations. Strangely enough, such towers often become attractions that draw crowds of tourists. Some of these leaning towers, due to their high historical and artistic value, have been included in the List of World Heritage or the Guinness World Records.

The Leaning Tower located in Suizhong County, Liaoning Province (Northeast China) was built during the Liao Dynasty (10th-12th centuries AD). This three-story octagonal tower stands 10 meters tall and leans to the east at an angle of 12 degrees. The angle of tilt of this tower is much greater than that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

In the Shanghai district of Songjiang, in the Tianma Mountains, there is the "Huchu" tower. This seven-story, octagonal brick and stone structure, 18.82 m tall, was built in the third year of the reign of Emperor Yuanfeng of the Northern Song Dynasty (1079), almost a hundred years before the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Currently, it is tilted to the east by 2.28 m at an angle of 6.63 degrees to the horizon, while the Leaning Tower of Pisa is tilted only 5.2 degrees. It is said that the prevailing southeast winds in this area blow in the opposite direction to the tilt of the tower, which is the main reason preventing its collapse.

Interestingly, the Italian city of Pisa has become a "pilgrimage" site for tourists due to its leaning tower, while a similarly leaning minaret in the Turkish city of Aksaray goes unnoticed. Meanwhile, this minaret was built back in 1236 during the Seljuk era!
Its original name is Kizil minaret (red), but due to its tilt, the tower gradually became known as the crooked one.
Currently, the minaret (which is 30.6 meters tall) stands at an angle of about 27 degrees, and if it had not been reinforced with cables in 1973, it would likely have collapsed by now.
The mosque nearby was built at a later time.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is nothing more than a bell tower or campanile. It is located in the Cathedral Square in the very center of the city of Pisa. Currently, its height is 55.86 m, and its current tilt is about 3° 54', which is about 3.9 meters of deviation from the vertical. The fact is that the tower was built on soft clay, and it began its "fall" a few years after construction began.
When construction was completed in 1350, measurements showed that the tower had deviated by almost one and a half meters. Measurements in 1990 showed that the tower had tilted another 4 meters, and it was already a question of when it would actually fall. The campanile had to be closed for reconstruction. As a temporary measure, a block of lead bars was installed on the northern side on concrete beams, which stabilized the structure.
Then the tower was straightened and stabilized through earthworks, where soil was literally removed from under the tower by millimeters. As a result, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, slightly tilting to the north, settled and took a more stable position. As a result of all the work, which cost more than 10 million euros, the angle of tilt of the campanile was reduced from 5° 30' to 3° 54'.
If you want to reach the observation deck, you will have to climb 294 steps up a spiral staircase. It’s not a pleasant experience, but the view is truly stunning. At the top, you will hardly feel any tilt, as it simply won’t be physically noticeable.
Just be careful if the weather is wet or rainy. Most often, the tower is closed during this time, but if you happen to be up there and it’s slippery—be cautious. The platform is small, and there can be quite a few people there.

The church in Suurhusen, Suurhusen, Germany
This church is located near the city of Emden in northwestern Germany. Part of the building remains the most leaning tower in the world, whose tilt surpassed that of the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
This was recorded in the Guinness World Records when the church made it there with its record in 2009. According to experts, the angle of tilt of the bell tower is 5.07 degrees.
The church building itself was constructed in the mid-13th century, and the tower was completed later, in 1450. The foundation of the bell tower was made of wood, which began to sink under the influence of moisture, causing the tower to lean over the years. Only in 1996 was its tilt managed to be stopped using modern drainage technologies at that time.
Despite the remoteness of this attraction from tourist areas in Germany, about 25,000 tourists visit it annually.

In the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, there is the monastery's shrine – the Great Lavra Bell Tower of the Assumption Cathedral. It was built between 1731 and 1745. For a century and a half, it was the tallest structure in Ukraine – 50 meters high. But it began to lean. The tilt was 62 cm in the northeast direction.
The tower was closed to visitors for 10 years while reconstruction work was carried out. But on March 27, 2015, it reopened its doors to visitors.

In the famous city known for its renowned cooked sausage mortadella, there are two leaning towers — Torre Garisenda (48 m tall) and Torre degli Asinelli (98 m). They have become a kind of symbol of the city and are the most visited attractions in Bologna.
The construction of the Asinelli tower was commissioned by the clan of the same name. It began in 1109, and just a year later, the first stone was laid for the skyscraper designed for the Garisendi family. To spite their long-time rivals, the Asinelli tower was built a few meters away from the creation of their opponents.
However, due to errors in construction calculations, the towers began to lean. The Asinelli tower tilted only 0.97 m, while Garisenda tilted 3.22 m.
Tourists are not allowed to enter the latter because the tilt is too great, and additional loads would only hinder it.
However, travelers often climb the Asinelli tower despite having to overcome 498 steps to reach the top. Today, Asinelli is the tallest of the leaning towers in the world.

In the German city of Bad Frankenhausen, there is a unique ancient church, Oberkirche, whose tower's tilt is record-breaking for the country. The height of the tower is 56 meters, and its spire is tilted from the vertical by 4.6 meters. The Gothic church was built in 1382, and for hundreds of years it remained the main city church. Initially, the church housed many unique relics and treasures and was distinguished by its luxurious decoration.
The Oberkirche, Germany In 1525, a peasant war began in the city, during which the church lost all its valuables. For hundreds of years, the church was at the epicenter of various battles and wars, it was repeatedly destroyed by invaders and also suffered from numerous fires. Each time the building was restored, but over the years, Oberkirche transformed from the richest church in Germany into the poorest. After a reconstruction that took place in the late 19th century, the church began to lean rapidly, with underground waters being the main cause of its destruction.
In 1911, work began to strengthen the foundation, and soon the church was reopened to visitors. However, as early as 1925, the city authorities decided to demolish the historical building. The church was saved from destruction by the fact that the costs of its demolition and complete reconstruction, according to the estimates, turned out to be the same. Over the last hundred years, huge funds have been invested in the restoration of this historical monument. According to experts, after the work carried out, the building could successfully last until 2092, but groundwater movement could still significantly accelerate its destruction.

The tower in Nizhny Tagil, Russia. The tower is located in the center of Nizhny Tagil near Yekaterinburg and is one of the most famous in the Middle Urals. The construction was financed by Peter the Great, built more than 300 years ago, in 1732, by the well-known builder Akinfiy Demidov. The height of the tower is 57.5 m. According to the latest measurements, the deviation of the upper part of the tower from the vertical is currently 2.20 m. The Nizhny Tagil tower is a very mysterious structure, full of secrets. For example, it is interesting that on the sixth floor of the tower there is an auditory room where whispers in one corner are perfectly heard in another.

The Leaning Tower "Huchu," 47 meters tall, is a seven-story octagonal structure made of black brick. Its construction began in the sixth year of the reign of Xiande of the Later Zhou Dynasty (959 AD) and was completed in the second year of the reign of Jianlong of the Northern Song Dynasty (961 AD). This tower is over a thousand years old and is the oldest large brick structure in the territory south of the Yangtze River. During its construction, the foundation sank, and later numerous attempts were made to repair it, but the tilt could not be contained. In 1976, a dangerous situation arose—the bricks of the foundation began to crumble, and cracks appeared. The relevant authorities immediately took a series of temporary measures to eliminate the dangerous situation. In 1981, a second series of strengthening works was carried out, as a result of which the tilt was finally brought under control. Currently, the angle of tilt and the degree of subsidence of the tower are considered stable. The center of the upper part of the tower is 2.32 m away from the center of the base, and the angle of tilt is 2.47 degrees. Foreign architects call it the "Chinese Leaning Tower."

The Polish town of Ząbkowice Śląskie also has an unusual historical symbol—the Crooked Tower. Its construction began in the 13th century and continued for over a century, being fully completed only in 1413. The height of the ancient tower is 34 meters, and modern studies have shown that it began to deviate from the vertical axis even during the construction phase. Currently, the deviation is 2.14 meters.
According to one assumption, it was precisely because of the strong deviation that the construction of the tower stretched for almost 150 years. Attempts to correct its shape began even during the construction process, but this still did not help fully rectify the situation. Once, the tower was part of the city fortress wall; now only a few fragments of the latter remain, while the tower itself continues to stand intact.
In 1858, the city suffered greatly from a fire, and almost all its historical buildings were destroyed. The Crooked Tower is one of the few structures that managed to survive the fire relatively well. Only its upper part was damaged, which was quickly restored. During World War II, the city found itself at the center of the German occupation, but this difficult period was also survived by the historical monument. Today, the tower is located in the center of a beautiful historical district, surrounded by low buildings from the 19th century. Various cultural institutions and art centers, as well as souvenir shops and restaurants, are located nearby.

The unfinished tower due to the danger of collapse in the Dutch city of Leeuwarden, near Groningen. The tower was built from 1529 by the city's residents in hopes of constructing a building taller than the bell tower of St. Martin's Church in nearby Groningen, which is 97 m tall and is now considered the fourth tallest in the Netherlands.
On this site, there was a church dedicated to St. Veit in the 9th century, which was replaced by a larger church. The building that began construction began to lean from the very start. The measures taken proved ineffective, and in 1532, work was halted, and in 1595-1596, the church building was dismantled due to the obvious danger of collapse. Only the tower with the clock and two bells was left. Today, the tower is a well-known tourist attraction.

In addition to the colorful houses of this Venetian island and the famous stories of lace-making, Burano has another equally popular attraction. It is the bell tower of St. Martin's Church, which features delightful frescoes by the painter Tiepolo.
It was presumably built in the 11th century, partially funded by the townspeople. The funds were only enough for 52 meters, and for a while, the tower's stability was not threatened. But the Venetian waters took their toll. Now the bell tower is tilted from the norm by 1.8 meters, and only the church building is holding it up.
The city government once attempted to start work on reinforcing and leveling the tower, but the residents were against it, as they believe that the leaning bell tower is just as much a symbol of Burano as the lace products and colorful houses. Ultimately, it was decided to slightly reinforce the tower's foundation so that it would not completely press down on the church building, which also needs renovation.

In the town of Chesterfield, there is also a religious monument that may face destruction in the near future. This is the Church of St. Mary and All Saints, built in the 13th century and currently one of the largest Gothic churches in the region. The church building itself is in excellent condition, while its 28-meter spire has a catastrophic angle of deviation. It is tilted 3 meters from the vertical.

The church spire was built much later than the building itself, in the second half of the 14th century, and has a very unusual twisted shape. The years of construction of the spire coincided with a plague epidemic that struck the city; according to one version, all the experienced master builders died during this epidemic. The work had to be completed by ordinary laborers, which led to significant twisting of the spire. There is also another version of its unusual shape related to the presence of lead in the spire's covering. In the sun, this metal heats up significantly, which over time could have caused the twisting of the tower.

The Old Church or Oude Kerk, as the Dutch call it, is a Gothic church in the city of Delft near The Hague. It was built with public funds in 1246 on the site of a wooden church dedicated to St. Bartholomew.
In the early 14th century, a 75-meter bell tower was added, which is tilted almost 2 meters from its vertical axis. Moreover, this is the oldest of the surviving churches in the city.
Here lie the outstanding artist Jan Vermeer, Dutch admirals Piet Hein and Maarten Tromp, as well as the naturalist and founder of microbiology Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. Currently, the tower is not threatened, and no deviations have been detected in the last 10 years.

Another "leaning" tower in Russia is located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin in Tatarstan. The tilt of the spire of the Syuyumbike tower from the vertical is 1.9 meters.

For a long time, the tower served as a watchtower and was a lookout. It consists of seven tiers, the edges of which are decorated with elegant projections—pilasters—and thin brick rolls. The lower tier has a through passage covered with double gates.
Interestingly, the building of Kazan Station in Moscow "plays on" the silhouette of the Syuyumbike tower.

The bell tower of the Tikhvin Church in the city of Kungur. Built in the 1880s, it is 70 meters tall and leaned immediately after construction, with a tilt of 3.5 degrees. The Tikhvin Church is a monument of federal significance.

The Bedum Tower (Bedum), Netherlands, located in the northern Dutch city of Bedum, is also leaning more and more each year. With a height of 35.7 meters, the tower has deviated from the vertical by 2.61 m.

This church is called the "Upper Church" (Oberkirche Unser Lieben Frauen am Berge), built in 1382 in the late Gothic style.
Under the church is a source of healing water (de. Elisabeth-Quelle). The height of the tower is 25 m, and the deviation of its spire from the vertical is 4.45 m. Thus, in this parameter, this church ranks second among the leaning towers of Germany, after the tower of the church in Suurhusen. The church's roof was dismantled in 1962, and it is gradually deteriorating.

In addition to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, there are at least seven seriously tilted towers in Italy. One of the most impressive belongs to the Basilica of San Pietro di Castello. The building was laid in the 9th century, although the modern version of the basilica dates back to the end of the 17th century. At one time, this was the residence of the Venetian patriarch. The church has been rebuilt and restored several times— for example, in the 1480s, after lightning struck the basilica's bell tower. Its history includes fires and the typical floods of the city of lovers. The bell tower of the basilica stands unevenly. It is unknown whether it was always like this or if it began to lean only after reconstruction. Today, the bell tower, although part of the UNESCO World Heritage, is considered one of the most dangerous buildings in Venice.

Surprisingly, one of the most recognizable symbols of the UK—London's Big Ben—is turning into a leaning tower. The 96-meter Big Ben of the British Parliament has tilted to the northwest by 0.26 degrees or 43.5 cm. Visually, the tilt is hardly noticeable. To call Big Ben a leaning tower is a stretch, but it cannot be said that the tower is not tilted at all, and for the English, this is already a significant event.
One of the reasons for the tower's instability is the underground works that have been carried out in the vicinity regularly since Big Ben was built in 1853, as reported by "Vesti." To reach the angle of tilt of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the London symbol will need about 4,000 years.

The main attraction of the Malaysian city of Teluk Intan is a leaning tower 25.5 meters tall. It was originally created as a water tower and clock tower. However, having tilted from the vertical axis, the tower has turned into a popular tourist object.

Round towers are a national architectural treasure of Ireland. There are about 120 such structures across the island. But the most interesting of them is located in the Kilmacduagh monastery in County Galway. This 34.5-meter tower leans more than a meter from the vertical axis. Interestingly, the monastery itself has been abandoned for many centuries, and the buildings are in ruins. Only the tower, built in the 13th century with engineering miscalculations, stands as if it were brand new.