The Tower of Pisa is one of Italy’s – and the world’s – most famous monuments. What appears to us today as admirable architectural consistency (one of the reasons it became a major icon of Italy and medieval Europe) was actually built in the course of two centuries: the first four orders (or ‘floors’) in just five years, from 1173 to 1178. These were followed by a lengthy hiatus lasting nearly a century, until 1272, when construction was resumed.

In six years, the entire tower save for the belfry right at the top – that is, all of the seven orders or floors – was completed, prior to a new interlude of approximately 80 years. Finally, from 1360 to 1370, the final stage of construction was finished, with the addition of the belfry.