How to Visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Where to Stay in Pisa

I spent one night in Pisa, purely to visit the Leaning Tower. As I am backpacking through Italy, I am predominantly staying at hostels. The lovely little family-run Hostel Pisa Tower is just a few minutes' walk from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, making it the absolute best location in the city. You can see the tower from the front door!

Where to Eat in Pisa

About the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The strange incline of the tower is a result of an unstable foundation as it was built on soft ground starting in the 12th century. It has since been strengthened a number of times and is now completely safe, with tickets even available for visitors to climb the funny little building.

Standing at just 56 metres tall, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was definitely visually smaller than I expected. Construction took 200 years due to various wars that caused many delays. Starting in 1172, and beginning to sink into the foundations in 1178, the tower was not considered complete until 1372.

Notably, it was from the Leaning Tower of Pisa where Galileo Galilei dropped two cannonballs of different masses to prove his theory of free fall in that speed of descent is independent of mass. These experiments were conducted by the famous scientist in the late 1500s, but not published until 1717.

Visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa

It's completely free to wander around the square which the Leaning Tower of Pisa is in, along with entering the Cathedral and the Baptistery of San Giovanni.

You can buy a variety of combinations of tickets to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa itself along with other key monuments in Pisa. Buy your ticket online for the Leaning Tower of Pisa here!

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