October 25, 2014

Campanile: collapase


On July 14, 1902, the 323 foot St Mark's Campanile in Venice, Italy collapsed after its northern load-bearing wall began to separate from the main structure. The cause of the separation was attributed to over 700 years of wear on the structure, including fires, earthquakes, and stress-redistribution, primarily from drying-induced shrinkage on the wooden support beams, the bells themselves swaying back and forth, and creep. No one was injured except for a cat belonging to a caretaker. The tower was a stonemasonry design.












Fake photo purporting to show the collapse of the original Campanile in 1902. This picture became famous around the world.







La Marangona, the bell of Campanile di San Marco remained intact during the tower collapse.





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