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Cathedral of Pisa |
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The cathedral in Pisa, along
with its baptistery, campanile, and Campo Santo, forms one of the most
remarkable architectural ensembles in the world. The cathedral's
foundation stone was laid in 1064, and it was consecrated by Pope
Gelasius II in 1118. The architect, Busketus (or Buscheto), designed the
church in a Latin cross plan, a departure from older basilicas. The
Duomo of Pisa is one of the greatest medieval monuments, demonstrating
architectural excellence unmatched for centuries, largely due to the
genius of its architect. The interior is magnificent, and the building’s
differences from contemporary structures highlight Busketus' brilliance.
Over time, the cathedral has settled, with no line remaining perfectly
vertical and the facade visibly overhanging its base. The famous Leaning
Tower, started in 1174 by Bonannus of Pisa and John of Innsbruck, began
to lean during its construction due to unstable subsoil. This tilt
became apparent before the tower reached half its height, with columns
on one side taller than on the other. Iron bars were added to reinforce
the structure, preventing collapse. The tower is cylindrical, 53 feet in
diameter at the base, and 178 feet tall, with eight storeys of columns
supporting semicircular arches. The eighth storey was added around 1350
by Tomaso Pesaro. Its tilt reached 2.5 cm by the 14th century. By 1990,
the tilt had increased to 5.5 degrees, or approximately 150 cm, posing a
significant risk of collapse. The most significant stabilisation effort
took place between 1990 and 2001, during which engineers used techniques
such as soil removal and counterweights to reduce the tower's lean. By
the end of the project, the tilt had decreased by around 40 centimetres,
ensuring its stability for at least the next 200 years. |
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