From Germany to Switzerland: Leaning Towers Challenge the Famous Leaning Tower of Pisa

SadaNews - From Germany to Switzerland and onto the United States, there are towers that lean at nearly the same angle as the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, with some even surpassing it in the degree of lean. While they may not carry the same fame as Pisa, they nevertheless attract tourists, photographers, and fans of engineering marvels from around the world.

1. The Tower of Thüringen in Germany

In the small town of Bad Frankenhausen, a leaning church tower is set to reopen after millions of dollars have been invested in its restoration and modernization, including the creation of a new visitor center and a viewing platform.

This platform offers panoramic views of the spa town and the Kyffhäuser mountain range. Local officials hope that the landmark will attract around 80,000 visitors per year.

The town's mayor, Matthias Schreiber, explains that the tower's deviation, which protrudes 4.86 meters, makes it lean more than the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, which was measured to lean approximately 3.97 degrees in 2022, with a protrusion of just under four meters.

2. The Leaning Sister Towers in Bologna, Italy

About two hours away from Pisa, the city of Bologna in northern Italy hosts two prominent historic towers dating back to the Middle Ages in its old center.

The shorter "Torre della Garisenda" is clearly prominent due to its lean of nearly four degrees. The taller "Torre degli Asinelli," reaching a height of 97 meters, also leans at a lesser degree, making its curve less apparent at first glance.

The Asinelli Tower is typically open to visitors, but it is currently closed for restoration work.

3. Former Record Holder in Northern Germany

In the village of Zörbig in northern Germany, a church tower is leaning due to the gradual wear of its wooden foundation over time. For many years, the tower was listed in the Guinness World Records as the most tilted tower in the world, with a lean of 5.19 degrees and a protrusion of 2.47 meters at a height of 27 meters.

However, this title was taken from it in 2022 in favor of another tower in Germany, the bell tower in the town of Gau-Feinhaim in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, which leans at an angle of 5.43 degrees.

4. Leaning Tower in St. Moritz

The luxury ski resort of St. Moritz in Switzerland also features its own leaning landmark. The leaning tower, which is all that remains of a long-demolished church, rises amidst a dramatic Alpine mountain backdrop.

According to local tourism officials, the tower stands 33 meters tall and leans at an angle of up to 5.5 degrees, which may make it the most tilted tower compared to the current record holder in Germany.

5. "Little Pisa" in the United States

Illinois is not Italy, and the town of Niles is not Pisa, but the scene there may surprise visitors. In the early 1930s, a local businessman commissioned the construction of a miniature version, half the size, of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, maintaining its famous lean.

Unlike its Italian original, the "Niles Leaning Tower" is currently closed to visitors, but during visiting hours it allows brave souls to climb about 250 tilted steps for those daring enough to take on the experience.

Source: German Press Agency