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29 October, 2012

10 Famous Inclined Towers or Leaning Towers around the World


Leaning Towers, also called as “Inclined Towers” are towers that are intentionally built to lean or incline over an angle. When talking about leaning towers, the first tower that comes to our mind is the world famous Leaning Tower of Pisa or Torre di Pisa, Italy. The fact is that this leaning tower was not intentionally built to lean. Presenting below are some of the famous inclined towers around the world.

10. Leaning Temple of Huma, Orissa, India

Leaning Temple of Huma, the only leaning temple in the world
Want to see the only leaning temple in the world? If yes, come and visit the Leaning Temple of Huma dedicated to Lord Shiva in India in the state of Orissa, now, called as Odisha.  It is not sure whether this temple was constructed this way on purpose or is a fault with the design. If you visit this temple, you can notice that it is the edifice that is leaning and not the pinnacle of the temple. It is believed that this temple was built by Emperor Anangabhima Deva-III, but later either rebuilt or renovated by King Baliar Singh. Plan a visit to this temple during March if you wish to see the annual fair, which will be held to commemorate Shivrathri, a famous Hindu festival.

9. Leaning Tower of Nevyansk, Nevyansk, Russia

Leaning Tower of Nevyansk, Russia

Courtesy: Wikimedia
Leaning Tower of Nevyansk is believed to be built in the 18th century (anywhere between 1725 and 1732); however, information on when this leaning tower was constructed is not known. It is a 189 feet tall tower with a right angle inclination of 7 feet 3 inches from the top of the tower. As the answer to the question of when it was built is a mystery so is the purpose of the tower. There are many debates on the purpose of the tower, which includes a watchtower, bell tower, prison, laboratory, etc. It is a popular belief that the inclination towards to southwest is to symbolize the birth of Demidov. Even though much of the information about the tower is not known, it is the first tower in the world with cast iron cupola.

8. Sharps Island Light, Tilghman Island, Maryland

Sharps Island lighthouse, endangered lighthouse in Maryland
Sharps Island lighthouse is the third lighthouse in Maryland and was built using cast iron. The lighthouse is 35 feet tall and leans at an angle of 15 degrees. This was automated in the year 1938 and was later deactivated in 2010. This is one of the picturesque lighthouses as well as poorly maintained. Sharps Island lighthouse got a place for itself in the National Register of Historic Places in July 1982 and is one of the endangered lighthouses.

7. Leaning Tower of Niles, Touhy Avenue, Illinois

Leaning Tower of Niles, an exact replica of Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
Are you trying to visit Paris to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but unable to do so; how about seeing a replica of it? Yes…Leaning Tower of Niles is a replica of Leaning Tower of Pisa and ½ the size of it. The original idea of constructing this tower was to store water for outdoor swimming pools. This was constructed by industrialist Robert Ilg. He built it as a part of Recreation Park for his employees. This tower now holds 4 fountains and a swimming pool of 30 feet.

6. Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Olympic Stadium, Canada's highest seating capacity stadium
It is a doughnut shaped multi-purpose stadium built to host the 1976 Summer Olympics in Canada; it is nicknamed as the “Big O” due to its shape. This has a record of being the stadium with highest seating capacity in Canada. It was used as football and baseball stadium for some time, but now mainly used to conduct special events. This is the tallest inclined tower in the world.

5. Gate of Europe, Madrid, Spain

Gate of Europe, the world's first inclined skyscraper and Spain's second tallest twin tower
Gate of Europe is the first inclined skyscraper in the world and the second tallest twin towers in Spain. Each of these buildings is 115 meter tall and is inclined at an angle of 15 degrees. Both these towers have a rooftop helicopter pad. These were designed by American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee.

4. Tiger Hill Pagoda, Suzhou City, China

Tiger Hill Pagoda nicknamed the "Leaning Tower of China"

Courtesy: Wikimedia

Tiger Hill Pagoda is a Chinese pagoda situated in the Suzhou city of China. It is popularly known as the “Leaning Tower of China” and was built during the “Five Dynasties” period. The pagoda is 154 feet tall with an inclination of roughly 3 degrees; this inclination is due to the fact that the foundation of the pagoda is half rock and half soil.

3. Leaning Tower of Suurhusen, Suurhusen, Germany

Leaning Tower of Suurhusen, the world's most tilted tower unintentionally tilted, Germany

Courtesy: Wikimedia
According to the Guinness World Records, Leaning Tower of Suurhusen holds the record of the most tilted tower in the world till 2010; however, it is still the world’s most tilted tower that was unintentionally tilted. The tower inclines at an angle of 5.194 degrees, which is 1.22 degrees more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy. This is a British Gothic church built in the Middle Ages in a marshy land; the church tilted when the water in the marshy land dried in the 19th century.

2. Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi - the world's furthest leaning man-made tower

Courtesy: Wikimedia
Capital Gate claims the record of “World’s furthest leaning man-made tower” from Guinness World Records and leans at an angle of 18 degrees westwards. The building is currently owned by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company. This is the first building in Middle East to diagrid technology; diagrid technology absorbs and channels the force created by wind as well seismic pressure.

1. Leaning Tower of Wanaka, Wanaka, New Zealand

Leaning Tower of Wanaka in Puzzling World, New Zealand

Courtesy: Flickr
Puzzling World is one of the famous tourist attractions in Wanaka, New Zealand. When started in 1973, it just had a maze; however, this is a place full of optical illusions, puzzles that visitors can solve, hologram hall, tilted house, and much more. The Leaning Tower of Wanaka was made to tilt at an angle of 53 degrees by pulling the building out of ground and balancing on one corner.

You will be amazed to look at these amazing leaning towers or inclined towers in the world!

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