One of the world's greatest tourist attractions has been stabilized to prevent it from toppling over and it has been declared safe for the next three centuries or so.

By 1990, the Leaning Tower of Pisa had tilted more than four meters off it's true vertical. Conservationists estimated that the 14, 500-ton structure would completely collapse between the years 2030 and 2040. It was decided at that point to close the tower to tourists and it remained closed while major work was being done on it to prevent it from tilting any further.

The tower reopened at the end of 2001 after $30-35 million was spent anchoring cables and lead counterweights to the tower and 70 tons of soil was removed from the north side and cement was injected in to relieve pressure.

More excavating-type work was performed and the Leaning Tower of Pisa now has a tilt equal to what it was in the early 19th century. (No attempt was made to completely straighten the tower, only to stop it from sinking further.)

More work continues to be performed. The tower is currently being cleaned by restorers (using lightweight scaffolding). The authorities are also planning on reopening a "secret" side door in the tower, closed in the 1930's, that enables visitors to look up to the sky through the tower's eight stories.

A ceremony marking the completion of the restoration is planned at the end of the summer.


The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the belltower of the cathedral. It was constructed in three stages starting in 1173 at the height of Pisa's military and economic power. It was completed two centuries later. The bell chamber itself was completed in 1372. It is believed that this is where Galileo Galilei conducted gravity experiments by dropping cannon balls off of the tower.