Suhashini L

Jul 27, 20232 min read

Day 207 - Masterpiece of Medieval Engineering: I Climbed The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Day 207 (27 July 2023) - Marghera to Pisa, Italy

DAY 207 (27 JULY 2023) – In the morning, I wanted to visit the island of Venice. It is connected to Marghera via road and there is also a railway track with regular train services.

I was told by the hostel receptionist that motorbikes were not allowed into the island but there was a parking lot nearby and I could use other ways of transport to get there.

However, since the parking lot was fully occupied, many cars and motorbikes, including myself were refused entry and forced to turn back. So, I missed the chance to visit Venice!

Fun fact : Wheeled transportations such as cars and motorbikes are not allowed to enter the island because the city streets are narrow and always busy with pedestrians. As such, walking and boating are the primary means of navigation in Venice.

I then left for a 5 hour (324 km) ride from Marghera to Pisa and arrived at my hostel by 5 pm. The hostel came with parking and breakfast and cost about 47 euros (RM 234) per night!

I spent the evening exploring this ancient maritime city along the Arno river. There are many ancient historical buildings including the famous one, The Leaning Tower of Pisa.

It was interesting to see this medieval structure up close, still standing since the 12th century, despite leaning towards one side.

Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage, this amazing structure was built in 1173 and took 200 years to finish.

Initially, I wasn’t planning to climb the tower, but since it was a once in a lifetime chance, I climbed over 200 stairs all the way up to the bell tower!

I got to see the city of Pisa from above and also watched the sun set from the top of the tower.

Fun fact : The tower began to lean during construction itself, due to uneven settling of the building’s foundation on soft ground, which could not properly support the structure’s weight. The tilt had worsened through its completion in the 14th century, and subsequently over time. The structure, which has survived 4 earthquakes, was only stabilized by major remedial work back in the 1990s.

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