You always see pictures from the outside of the Tower of Pisa but what is it like from the inside? Maybe unsurprisingly the inside of the Tower of Pisa has a strange vibe and is non decorative. Perhaps when the Tower of Pisa was constructed all the inspiration went to the outside to make the Tower seems more grand. Never the less I want to describe what it’s like to climb the Tower of Pisa.
The first thing people usually notice is the Tower of Pisa really does lean. And by a lot! I wondered how it leans so off from vertical without topping over. And something else that is clear is that the Tower of Pisa felt small. It’s not an Eiffel Tower or the Empire State type of building but to be fair that’s probably because the tower was built in the 12th century and made of marble. Interestingly, it’s actually the heavy marble under an unstable foundation that is causing the Tower of Pisa to lean.
Only a limited amount of people can climb the Tower of Pisa at once and so everybody must go on tours. When you walk in you start with some information about the Tower of Pisa and then you start climbing. What is noticeablr is that the old marble steps are worn where feet have walked over the hundreds of years since it’s creation. The steps are actually slippery! I noticed the walls have silt and dirt on them. All piled up from centuries of dust and people coming and going.
And the steps continue up in a constant circle. They’re makeshift light-bulbs that hang from the top of the ceilings and now and then there are windows that look out over the Pisa region. It’s a good sign of how far you have actually climbed. When you walk up the steps you can easily notice which side of the tower you are on. Because the stairs are built along the circular walls of the tower they are influenced by the lean of the tower. On one side you feel like you “swing” down towards the ground and then on the other side you “swing” into the inner tower wall. Add that you are also going up steps, it becomes a weird experience.
As you get towards the tops of the tower the walls close in. Like most European structures the tops always seem to be more narrow and the ceilings seem to come closer to your head. And finally you get to a door that opens to the outside ledge. It’s a little daunting at first because there is only a rail guard to keep you from falling. You do get an excellent glimpse of the surrounding Pisa region and the chance to take the “customary holding on for dear life” photo. Pictures below of my experience at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
images by: shawnvoyage
