The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been toppled! At least according to Guinness World Records.
optikorakel/Via Flickr
A comparatively obscure church steeple in the tiny German village of Suurhusen actually outleans the famous Pisa tower. As we first saw in Gadling, the Leaning Tower of Suurhusen now holds the record as the world’s most lopsided building. Its lean of 5.19 degrees is even more severe than the Leaning Tower of Pisa’s 3.97-degree lean.
According to Ananova.com, the Leaning Tower of Suurhusen was built in the mid-1200s, but the tower wasn’t added until 1450.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been tilting since its construction
began in 1173, and tourists (present company included) seemingly have
been posing for that silly picture of themselves holding up the tower
ever since. A lengthy restoration project was completed in 2001 to keep
it from leaning even more. Apparently, preserving the tower was more
important than the world record.
Despite its stunning defeat, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is still
worth visiting in person. But it’s not the only worthwhile site in Pisa.
The entire Il Campo dei Miracoli, or Field of Miracles—which includes
the Duomo and Baptistry—is quite remarkable. The Baptistry is renowned
for its acoustics, so make sure to tip the attendants, who often show off the amazing echoes by singing.
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