Pisa Leaning Tower and Cathedral, Piazza dei Miracoli, Italy

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world and the symbol of Pisa, Italy. It stands in Piazza dei Miracoli, the Square of Miracles, and was built as the bell tower of the cathedral. Work began in 1173, but the tower started to lean within a few years because of the soft ground, and it took almost two centuries to finish. Stabilisation work between 1990 and 2001 reduced the tilt, which is now about four degrees.

Next to the tower stands Pisa Cathedral, begun in 1064 and a masterpiece of Pisan Romanesque architecture, with a marble façade of stacked arcades and a gilded coffered ceiling inside. The square also holds the round Baptistery, the largest in Italy, and the Camposanto, a monumental cemetery with frescoed cloisters. Together they have formed a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Visitor Information

Climbing the tower is the highlight for most visitors: 251 steps lead to the top, and the visit takes about 30 minutes. Visits run at fixed times in small groups, and bags must be left at the cloakroom. For safety reasons children who will not have turned 8 by the end of the year cannot climb, and under-18s must be accompanied by an adult. The climb is not recommended for people with heart or muscle problems, as the steps are uneven and slippery.

A ticket for the tower costs €20 and includes the Cathedral; there are no reduced prices. A ticket for all the other monuments (Baptistery, Camposanto and two museums) costs €11, and the complete ticket with the tower €27; tickets for the monuments are valid for a year. Any ticket gives free entry to the Cathedral, and free timed passes for the Cathedral alone are handed out at the ticket offices. The monuments open daily at 9:00 (the Cathedral at 10:00) and in autumn close between 19:00 and 20:00, later in summer (until 22:30 from mid-June to August); last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Book tower tickets online, especially in spring and summer.

Piazza dei Miracoli is about 2 km, a 20–25 minute walk, from Pisa Centrale station; Pisa San Rossore station, on the line to Lucca, is only a few minutes away on foot, and city buses also run from Centrale. The PisaMover shuttle links Pisa airport with Pisa Centrale in a few minutes, and trains from Florence take about an hour.