The Tower of Pisa Reopens

La Nazione

(PISA, Italia, 13 December 2001) Pisa gives honorary citizenship to the 'savior' of the Tower The recognition will be delivered December 17 to professor Michele Jamiolkowski, "whose impassioned work has allowed the operation of consolidation" PISA, 13 DECEMBER 2001- The town counsel of Pisa has deliberated to confer citizenship to professor Michele Jamiolkowski, president of the international Committee for the safeguard of the Leaning Tower. The proposal has been advances by mayor Paolo Fontanelli, who has remembered "the great value of Jamiolkowski, whose impassioned work has led the operation of consolidation" of the historical tower. The ceremony of conferment of honorary citizenship to the 'savior' of the Tower of Pisa will happen on Monday 17 December at Gambacorti Palace.

(PISA, Italia, 14 December 2001) Tower, The countdown In a few hours the Tower reopens. An event followed all over the world PISA. A countdown for the reopening of the Tower after 4359 days of forced closing. Now, tomorrow afternoon, after the entry of the guests, among which are ministers and personalities of the government, the first groups of tourists will return to climb the 293 stairs that lead up to bell cell. An event that has been defined as "epocal", since the bell tower, when it was closed on live TV by Raffaella Carrą January 7 1990, was considered to be at great risk. The increase of the inclination, reaching four meters and 50 centimeters, had carried the bell tower of Bonanno to the limits of the collapse. Twelve years of interventions and 53 billion lire have reduced the lean by 44 centimeters, bringing it again to that of 1838 and assuring the monument a calm life for another two or three centuries. For the ceremony of tomorrow numerous journalists and tour operators from all the world are reserved. But, the Work of the Primaziale assures, a sober ceremony out of respect for the victims of the Twin Towers, for which the bells of the Tower have already paid homage with a toll last 18 September. The conclusion of the work had been celebrated already last June 17, with redelivery of her keys to the city on the occasion of the festival of patron Saint Ranieri and with the symbolic access by a group of students. In precedence the access had been allowed only to exceptional vip's, among them English premier Tony Blair and Mrs. Laura Bush. The reopening has arrived after years of expensive and delicate interventions. The guided visits will be allowed to groups of 30 people and will last approximately 40 minutes.

(PISA, Italia, 15 December 2001) The Tower of Pisa Reopens The leaning bell tower had been closed in 1990 for safety. And tomorrow it will be reopened to tourists The tower of Pisa was reopened to the public at 11:30 AM today, after almost twelve years of closing. The event has been underlined by the sound of the bells in Piazza dei Miracoli. At that hour, after mayor Paolo Fontanelli and bishop Alexander Plotti symbolically reopened the door of the bell tower, the first party of Italian and foreign tourists were allowed to climb, to whom the visit to the monument has been offered for free. "Very, very exciting", comments Maria Carmen, a girl from Barcellona who has been among the first to arrive at the summit of the bell tower. Then , tens of journalists and TV operators have climbed on the tower, together with the authorities. The tower of Pisa had been closed January 7 1990 and since then, through long and complex interventions, it has been placed in safety, reducing its inclination by 44 centimeters. The first group of paying tourists gets on the bell tower around 1:00 o'clock. The price of the ticket is of 15 euro (about 30 thousand lire), access is allowed to groups of thirty people with a companion guide for 35-40 minutes.