# Leaning Tower of Pisa > The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the world's most famous tilting tower, the bell tower of the cathedral on Pisa's Field of Miracles. It took nearly two centuries to build and began to lean during construction. About 294 steps spiral to the top, where the bells hang and the city spreads below. The climb is paid and timed, children must be at least 8, and it takes about 30 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/leaning-tower-of-pisa - City: [Pisa](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa), Italy - YesGo score: 67/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h - Entry: Climb paid - Opening hours: Daily, morning to evening; longer in summer - With kids: Fine with kids - Climb: Paid, timed ticket - Age: Children 8 and over; under-18s with an adult - 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 - Coordinates: 43.72301, 10.39662 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1173** — building of the bell tower began (source: English Wikipedia) - **c. 200 years** — construction took, with long pauses (source: English Wikipedia) - **c. 56 m** — height of the tower (source: English Wikipedia) - **1990–2001** — the tower was stabilised, its lean cut to about 4° (source: English Wikipedia) - **1987** — the Field of Miracles joined the UNESCO list (source: UNESCO, no. 395) ## Why 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. > **Book tickets ahead** Climb places are limited, and in season the next few hours often sell out. Buy online on the official site in advance and be at the entrance 15 minutes before your slot. A tower ticket usually includes entry to the cathedral. ## 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 1. From **Pisa Centrale** station, 25 minutes on foot through the centre, or 10 by the LAM Rossa bus. 2. From Florence, the train to Pisa Centrale takes about an hour, then walk or bus. 3. From Pisa Airport, the PisaMover shuttle reaches the station in 5 minutes. 4. The tower stands on the [Field of Miracles](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/piazza-dei-miracoli) 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 Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a timed climb online - [ ] Arrive 15 minutes before your slot - [ ] Leave your bag in the cloakroom - [ ] Find the bells at the top - [ ] Take the 'holding it up' photo on the lawn ## Places in Pisa: compare and choose Places in Pisa rated by YesGo. - [Leaning Tower of Pisa](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/leaning-tower-of-pisa) — YesGo score 67/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Climb paid - [Pisa Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/pisa-cathedral) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Timed ticket - [Piazza dei Miracoli](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/piazza-dei-miracoli) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free - [Pisa Baptistery](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/pisa-baptistery) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Paid ## The Field of Miracles in half a day The Leaning Tower, the cathedral and the baptistery on the Field of Miracles. 1. [Leaning Tower of Pisa](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/leaning-tower-of-pisa) — YesGo score 67/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Climb paid 2. [Pisa Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/pisa-cathedral) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Timed ticket 3. [Pisa Baptistery](https://yesgo.io/italy/pisa/pisa-baptistery) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Paid ## Don't mix it up The Leaning Tower is the cathedral's bell tower, not a fortress; Pisa has other tilting bell towers, and Bologna has its leaning Garisenda. The famous one is this, on the Field of Miracles. ## Tips - 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. ## How we checked History and dimensions from English Wikipedia and UNESCO. Prices, hours and climbing rules weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - UNESCO: Piazza del Duomo, Pisa (no. 395) - English Wikipedia: Leaning Tower of Pisa - Official site, opapisa.it --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.