Have You Ever Wondered What’s Inside the Tower of Pisa?



The Tower of Pisa — commonly referred to as the “Leaning Tower of Pisa” because of its 4º lean — is a freestanding bell tower situated behind the Pisa Cathedral. When you stand underneath the Tower of Pisa, you can’t help but appreciate its majesty. The entire monument is made out of solid rock, and there are literally thousands of little details and features sculpted into the white marble. Perhaps you’ve wondered what’s on the inside of the tower. Just in case you’re wondering, it leans on the inside too….a lot. It's much darker inside because there’s no artificial light in the monument. Once your eyes adjust to the darker environment, there’s something that jumps out: there’s literally nothing inside the tower! It’s just a hollow cylinder from bottom to top. The only light comes from a massive opening in the ceiling on the base of the 8th floor, about 165 feet up. In contrast to all the work that was done on the outside, the inside is humble and looks like it’s a separate building. There are 257 steps to get from the bottom to the top of the 191-foot tower. The Tower of Pisa has over five million visitors each year, and it makes about $24 million from tours.