Leaning Tower
Preserved but no longer current.
The campanile or bell-tower of the cathedral of Pisa stands apart from the cathedral itself. It is 181 ft. high, 57£ ft. in diameter at trie base, and leans about 14 ft. from the perpendicular. It was begun in 1174 and the sinking commenced during construc- tion. Galileo availed himself of the over- hanging tower to make his experiments in gravitation. At Caerphilly, Glamorganshire, there is a tower which leans lift, in 80.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Leaning Tower” mean?
The campanile or bell-tower of the cathedral of Pisa stands apart from the cathedral itself. It is 181 ft. high, 57£ ft. in diameter at trie base, and leans about 14 ft. from the perpendicular. It was begun in 1174 and the sinking commenced during construc- tion. Galileo availed himself of the over- hanging tower to make his experiments in gravitation. At Caerphilly, Glamorganshire, there is a tower which leans lift, in 80.
Is “Leaning Tower” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.