Pisa Cathedral
Pisa, Italy
Leaning Tower of Pisa
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Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Climb paid
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Daily, morning to evening; longer in summer
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Climb
- Paid, timed ticket
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Age
- Children 8 and over; under-18s with an adult
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Steps
- About 294, spiralling
- Height
- ≈ 56 m, leaning ≈ 4°
- Time needed
- About 30 minutes to climb
- Location
- Field of Miracles, 25 minutes from the station
Key facts
1173building of the bell tower began
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English Wikipediac. 200 yearsconstruction took, with long pauses
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English Wikipediac. 56 mheight of the tower
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English Wikipedia1990–2001the tower was stabilised, its lean cut to about 4°
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English Wikipedia1987the Field of Miracles joined the UNESCO list
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UNESCO, no. 395Why the Leaning Tower leans
The tower is the cathedral's bell tower, begun in 1173. By the time the third storey went up it had started to tilt: the ground beneath is soft clay and sand, and the foundations were too shallow. Work stopped for almost a century, and when it resumed the upper storeys were built slightly curved to compensate. The tower was finished only in the 14th century.
Over the centuries the lean kept growing. In 1990 the tower closed to visitors, and engineers spent more than a decade stabilising it, carefully removing soil from under the raised side so the tower straightened a little. Since 2001 it has been open again, leaning about 4 degrees, and experts believe it will stand for centuries more.
Climbing the tower
A narrow spiral staircase of about 294 marble steps, worn down by millions of feet, leads to the top. The lean makes the climb feel odd, pressing you first against the outer wall, then the inner. Seven bells hang at the top, and the final terrace looks over the whole city, the Field of Miracles with its cathedral and baptistery, and the mountains beyond.
Climbs run in groups at the time on your ticket, about 30 minutes including time at the top. Bags go into a free cloakroom first, and you can take only a phone or camera. Children under 8 aren't allowed up.
What to see at the Leaning Tower
- The lean — clearest from the lawn to the side.
- Marble arcades — eight tiers wrapping the cylinder.
- The spiral stair — about 294 worn steps.
- The bells — seven of them at the top.
- The view — the Field of Miracles and Pisa's tiled roofs.
- The 'holding it up' photo — the classic lawn shot.
Galileo and the legends
Pisa is Galileo Galilei's home town. A well-known story says he dropped balls of different weights from the leaning tower to show they fall at the same speed. Historians doubt the experiment happened here, but the tale is so popular that every tour tells it.
Another tradition is the photo of a visitor 'holding up' or 'pushing' the tower. On the lawn in front, dozens of people stand in odd poses with outstretched arms at once, which is an amusing sight in itself. The best spots for the shot are to either side of the cathedral.
How to get to the Leaning Tower
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Pisa Cathedral is about 3 min away on foot.
- Piazza dei Miracoli is about 4 min away on foot.
- Pisa Baptistery is about 4 min away on foot.
More tips
- From Pisa Centrale station, 25 minutes on foot through the centre, or 10 by the LAM Rossa bus.
- From Florence, the train to Pisa Centrale takes about an hour, then walk or bus.
- From Pisa Airport, the PisaMover shuttle reaches the station in 5 minutes.
- The tower stands on the Field of Miracles beside the cathedral.
Tips for your visit
Pisa makes an easy day trip from Florence: two or three hours cover the tower, cathedral and baptistery. Come in the morning or late in the day; midday brings the most groups and the marble gets hot in the sun. In the evening the tower is lit and the square turns quiet and beautiful.
If you'd rather not climb, the tower is free to see from outside on the open square. The cathedral, baptistery and museums are sold at the same desks, and a combined ticket is usually better value. With children under 8, only the adults climb while the rest wait on the lawn.
Before you climb
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Places in Pisa: compare and choose
Places in Pisa rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Leaning Tower of Pisayou are here | 67 | 1 h | Climb paid | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pisa Cathedral | 47 | 40 min | Timed ticket | 3 min walk |
| Piazza dei Miracoli | 42 | 2 h | Free | 3 min walk |
| Pisa Baptistery | 40 | 30 min | Paid | 3 min walk |
The Field of Miracles in half a day
The Leaning Tower, the cathedral and the baptistery on the Field of Miracles.
- Leaning Tower of Pisayou are here1 h · Climb paid
- 3 min walk from the previous stopPisa Cathedral40 min · Timed ticket
- 3 min walk from the previous stopPisa Baptistery30 min · Paid
3 places · about 2 h 16 min with walks · 6 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Book the climb online ahead.
- Children from age 8.
- Bags go in the cloakroom.
- Lit and quiet in the evening.
Questions
How many steps are there in the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
About 294 marble steps up a spiral staircase.
How do I buy Leaning Tower of Pisa tickets?
Online on the official Field of Miracles site or at the desk; climbs are timed, so book ahead in season.
Can children climb the Leaning Tower?
From age 8; under-18s must be with an adult.
Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa lean?
Soft ground and shallow foundations; it began to tilt during construction in the 12th century.
How do I get to the Leaning Tower from Florence?
By train to Pisa Centrale in about an hour, then 25 minutes on foot or 10 by bus.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO: Piazza del Duomo, Pisa (no. 395)
- English Wikipedia: Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Official site, opapisa.it