The Leaning Tower of Pisa [Italian: Torre pendente di Pisa] is the freestanding bell tower of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa. It is situated behind the cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisa's Piazza del Duomo [Cathedral Square] after the cathedral and the baptistry.
The tower initially was intended to stand vertically, however the tower began to lean to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction. Today, the tower leans to the southwest.
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