PISA, ITALY — The Tower of Pisa may be known for its distinctive tilt, but recent years have seen it becoming slightly more upright.<br /><br />The BBC reports that the Tower of Pisa was constructed on a layer of clay and sand that was softer to the south, and began to tilt by the time the third storey was being built.<br /><br />To compensate for this, the next five levels were constructed with one side shorter than the other, resulting in a structure that is not only tilting, but is also curved.<br /><br />By 1990, the marble tower was leaning six degrees, or 13 feet, according to CNN. Officials feared it might topple over and closed it to the public for corrective work.<br /><br />Cables were attached to the third storey to stabilize the tower. Counterweights and braces were added while soil was removed from the north side to allow it to straighten out.<br /><br />Experts say the Tower of Pisa is now stable, and has lost 1.5 inches of its tilt over the past 17 years, from its reopening in 2001 to the present.<br /><br />CBS reports that at its current pace, it may take another thousand years for the tower to straighten out completely. So tourists and Instagrammers shouldn't worry - the famous leaning landmark will still be available for photo-ops for a good long while.
