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The Leaning Tower of Pisa, located in the town of Pisa Italy, is one of the Wonders of the World and is most well known for its unusual stance, and the fact that it has managed to last so many years without toppling over. It was built as a freestanding bell tower for the cathedral in Pisa and started to lean during construction because the foundation was built on soft ground that had difficulty supporting the weight. Construction on the tower began in 1173 and was completed in 1417, having stopped twice during that period because of war. The lean became worse as construction continued for several decades. Between 1990 and 2001 it was stabilized and the lean was partially fixed. The tower stands approximately 186 feet tall, is a circular shape and has eight floors with the top floor containing seven bells that each represent a note in the musical major scale. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is visited by 5 million people each year.
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