Fall of the Leaning Tower

Tracing the rich, if tortuous, history of "Il Campanile," the so-called "Leaning Tower of Pisa," this outstanding NOVA episode includes extensive information about the multiplicity of efforts to rescue/restore the Tower. Begun in 1172, the Tower was built on an alluvial plain, and its dangerous tilt today presents as much a mystery for engineers, soil scientists, and architects as it has pleasure and wonder to onlookers for centuries. This video offers detailed interviews with various scientists engaged in the rescue effort, extraordinary interior shots of the Tower's physical mechanics, and archival footage of several recent attempts to correct the problem of the building's tilt. A wonderfully visceral treatment (that illuminates what would be otherwise dry information on the printed page), this is an exciting and important use of the video format that documents the preservation efforts on the Tower, as well as enlightening viewers on the multi-textured history of this masterpiece of medieval architecture and art. Highly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (M. Rechel)