Level 1:
The Leaning Tower of Pisa leans because of its poor foundation. It was built on soft ground that could not support its weight. This tower began to lean as early as its construction. The lean got worse over time. Builders tried to fix it by building upper floors shorter on one side. But, the tower kept leaning. Today, the lean is safe and controlled.
Level 2:
Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa lean? It’s a question that boggles the mind of many tourists and architecture enthusiasts. It comes down to the soil it was built on, which was a soft mixture of clay, sand, and shells. This unstable base couldn’t bear the weight of the tower, and the structure began to slant even during construction. Despite the builders’ efforts to rectify the lean by making the upper floors shorter on the leaning side, the tower continued to tilt. Today, interventions have ensured the lean is maintained safely.
Full Story:
Speaking of world-famous architectural curiosities, the Leaning Tower of Pisa no doubt takes the cake. This iconic Italian structure is notorious for its distinctive tilt. Have you ever wondered why the Leaning Tower of Pisa leans? Is it an architectural mistake, or does science play a trick on our eyes?
The Leaning Tower of Pisa’s tilt is the result of an unstable foundation. The tower was built on a substrate of soft soil— a blend of clay, fine sand, and shells. This underlying material, known in engineering speak as ‘clayey silt,’ couldn’t withstand the immense weight of the tower. Consequently, the foundation began to subside soon after construction commenced in the 12th century, and the tower began its famous lean.
The builders of the time were no pushovers, however. Observing the developing inclination, they attempted to correct it by constructing the upper floors shorter on the leaning side, effectively trying to straighten out the tower. This architectural adjustment made the tower banana-shaped when viewed from above, but unfortunately, it did little to halt the leaning trend.
Over the centuries, the tower continued to lean more and more, despite multiple interventions. Gravity consistently worked its relentless force, and the leaning side of the foundation kept sinking into the soft soil causing the tower to tilt further. But the tale of the Leaning Tower doesn’t end in disaster, quite the contrary!
Beginning in the late 20th century, scientists and engineers undertook elaborate soil extraction procedures to stabilize the leaning trend in a controlled manner. Thanks to these interventions, the Leaning Tower of Pisa currently leans at an angle of 3.99 degrees, down from the peak tilt of 5.5 degrees before corrective measures were implemented. Today, the stability of the tower is continuously monitored to ensure its lean doesn’t pose a safety threat. So, you can put your worries to rest knowing that this beloved landmark isn’t in danger of collapsing anytime soon!
Questions:
Question: Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa lean?
Answer: The Leaning Tower of Pisa leans because it was built on an unstable foundation composed of clay, sand, and shells that couldn’t bear the weight of the tower.
Question: How did builders attempt to fix the leaning tower during its construction?
Answer: The builders attempted to rectify the lean by constructing the upper floors shorter on the leaning side, but despite this, the tower continued to tilt.
Question: How did experts stabilize the leaning trend of the tower in the 20th century?
Answer: In the late 20th century, engineers used precise soil extraction techniques from underneath the Leaning Tower to stabilize the leaning trend in a controlled manner.
Question: Is the current lean of the Leaning Tower of Pisa stable, and is the monument safe for tourists?
Answer: Yes, the current lean of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is stable and continuously monitored to ensure it doesn’t pose a safety threat.
Question: What is the current lean angle of the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Answer: The Leaning Tower of Pisa currently leans at an angle of about 3.99 degrees.
Fill in the Blanks:
takes the cake, pushovers, straighten out, put your worries to rest
Speaking of world-famous architectural curiosities, the Leaning Tower of Pisa no doubt _________.
The builders of the time were no _______.
Observing the developing inclination, they attempted to _______ by constructing the upper floors shorter on the leaning side.
So, you can _______ knowing that this beloved landmark isn’t in danger of collapsing anytime soon!
Difficult Words:
Takes the cake - (phrase) used to indicate that someone or something is particularly impressive or extreme.
Pushover - (noun) person who is easy to overcome or influence.
Straighten out - (phrase) to resolve or deal with (a problem or difficulty).
Put your worries to rest - (phrase) stop worrying about something because it has been dealt with or resolved.
