The bell tower is a unique building. The Tower is located in the Piazza dei Miracoli to one side of the Cathedral. The Tower assumes an unusual value because it is dislocated from the other monuments in the Piazza dei Miracoli.
A road originally ran towards the apse and alongside the Cathedral continuing beyond the city walls through the porta de Leone.
The building is a result of work and restoration attempts that spanned centuries with the primary aim of preventing collapse due to the inclination of the Tower.
The Tower is formed by a cylindrical body of masonry encircled by arcades with arches and columns on the base. It is topped by a belfry.
Within the masonry area is a spiral staircase with 293 steps.
The original building project lasted over two centuries as follows:
1173 - Work begins on August 9, 1173.
1182 - The stone works of the bell tower of
St. Mary began.
1185 - Probable interruption at the height of the
4th order.
1198 - Documented presence of a bell ringer.
1231 - Building work began again.
1233 - Worker Benato Bettici pledges to be
solicitous and attentive in his work.
1260 - Master builder Giovanni di Simone intervenes
in the construction of the Tower Building
from 1260-1267.
1278 - Building proceeds up to the 7th order where
a correction of the axial inclination is
made. Building work is further suspended.
1292 - Giovanni Pisano measure the inclination of
the Tower with a plumb line.
1360 - Tomasso Pisano completers the construction
after almost a century, building the belfry
and making the last geometric correction.
The Tower is 58.36 meters from the foundation and 55 meters from the ground. The center of gravity is 22.6 meters above the foundation. The exterior of the foundation is 19.58 meters with a central aperture of 4.5 meters.
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