When we think of leaning towers, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But this famous landmark is actually not the tallest and not the only leaning tower. Visually, the angle of the Leaning Tower of Pisa looks amazing because the land around it is bare. However, there are other leaning towers around the world that attract less attention and are also the result of a man-made mistake. To this day they stand with almost imperceptible inclinations, but without an intervention to stabilize them, they could topple and fall. On the other hand, there are also extraordinary towers that were actually designed to be leaning. Here are the most beautiful leaning towers in the world that are definitely worth a visit
Nevyansk Tower – Nevyansk, Russia
Not much is known about this tower, except that it was built by the Demidov family in the 18th century. Of course, there are some theories among the locals about the purpose of the tower. Some say it was a prison. Others believe it was a watchtower or bell tower, while a third group claims it was a secret laboratory where the Soviets conducted experiments. Whatever the purpose of the Nevyansk Tower, one thing we know for sure is that it is tilted at an angle of 3 degrees between the base and the center.
Suurhusen Kilise Kulesi – Suurhusen, Almanya
The church tower in Suurhusen holds the world record for being the most involuntarily leaning tower. The tower is part of a Gothic church and leans at a huge angle of 5.19 degrees. Pisa’s leaning tower leans at an angle of only 1.22 degrees. So it doesn’t even compare to this structure. The church was built on stable oak logs in the Middle Ages, but in the 18th century the swamp on which the church stands was drained, causing it to lean.
Big Ben – London, England
It’s hard to believe that this landmark is leaning, but it’s true! The Elizabeth Tower, or Big Ben as it is commonly known, is leaning at a rate of 0.9 mm per year. This is probably due to the expansion of the London Underground and parking lots in the area. However, engineers are not too worried about the rate at which the tower is leaning, as they believe it will take about 4000 years for it to lean as much as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Tiger Hill Pagoda – Souzhou, China
The pagoda takes its name from the hill on which it stands. The pagoda itself was built a very long time ago, in 960 AD, and so far it has leaned about 3 degrees. The reason for this leaning is that two of the tower’s support pillars cracked, because the tower stands half on rock and half on earth. Fortunately, the tower has been stabilized. The soil on which it stands is reinforced with concrete, so it is not leaning any more. However, there is a difference of about 2.3 meters between the body of the tower and its foundation.
Oude Kerk – Delft, Netherlands
The building to which this tower is attached was originally a Catholic church but became a Protestant church during the Reformation. The leaning tower is a tourist attraction with its large central spire surrounded by four turrets at the four corners. The tower was actually leaning when it was built. The builders made several attempts to correct this, but the tower is still visibly leaning.
Leaning Tower of Toruń – Toruń, Poland
This leaning tower was built in the Middle Ages. It is leaning because it was built on soil that could not support the weight of the tower. The top of the tower, made of red brick, is tilted about 1.5 meters from its base. During its time standing, the tower has served many purposes, from a garrison to a women’s prison and even a café.
Belfry of Bruges – Bruges, Belgium
The Belfry of Bruges is one of the cornerstones of the city. The tower itself has been restored three times since it was built. The tower is leaning about 87 cm to the east. The tower has also been struck by lightning and caught fire not once but twice. Fortunately, the Belgians have restored the tower faithfully each time.
Temple of Oblique Huma – Odisha, India
Dedicated to the god Shiva, this temple is one of the two leading temples in the world. The body of the temple’s tower is tilted, but the top of the tower is actually perpendicular to the ground. The reason behind the tilt of the tower is probably due to flooding in the area, as the temple was built on the banks of a river. Also, the location of the temple has witnessed several earthquakes, so natural disasters could be the cause of the tilt.
Millennium Tower – San Francisco, USA
Every year this majestic skyscraper both leans and collapses. The building itself is not a business center but an apartment complex. But because of the speed at which this tower is leaning, many people have been forced to sell their homes for much less than market value. Even though engineers have done some work to correct the tilt, the building continues to lean.
Two Towers – Bologna, Italy
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is not the only leaning tower in Italy. Bologna’s two towers – ‘Le Due Torri’ – are the symbol of the Italian city. Like Pisa, this tower continues to lean every day, albeit very slightly.
Bad Frankenhausen Church Tower – Frankenhausen, Germany
We come to the end of our list of the most famous leaning towers. The reason why the bell tower of this church has reached an angle of 4.8 degrees is the underground spring that snakes under the town. While there have been efforts to restore the tower and realign the bell tower, all the solutions applied to stabilize the structure have so far failed. The bell tower is likely to collapse or collapse.
