Towers have captivated the human mind for thousands of years; from the biblical Tower of Babylon, through the Tower of Pisa, and on to the modern-day Burj Khalifa. These tall buildings dwarf us while still letting us marvel at the spectacular work we do when we work together. Some towers, however, are more unusual than others.
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1. Cheminée Moretti, Paris, France
This tower is the work of French artist Raymond Moretti and is 32 meters tall (104ft).
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The Cheminée Moretti is a system of 672 pipes with varying diameters, painted in 19 different colors. The tower weighs 27.5 tons, and if all the pipes were laid front to back, they would measure 22 kilometers (13.6 miles).
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2. Guinigi Tower, Lucca, Italy
The Italian city of Lucca is well-known for its medieval architecture, including a fully intact city wall, yet the most notable building there, is the Torre Guinigi, which towers over the city.
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At a striking 44.5 meters (146ft), the tower hides a surprise on its roof – a garden that includes several oak trees.
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Built in the 14th-century, it was only one amongst over 250 other towers in the city. These days, the number of towers in the city is much lower, and the Torre Guinigi is still the most impressive.
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3. Sathorn Unique, Bangkok, Thailand
This 49-floor giant stands in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. Originally built as a luxury apartment condominium during the economic boom the region experienced in the 1990’s.
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Construction was halted in 1997 following the Asian financial crisis, with the building being about 80% complete, due to lack of funds. These days, the building stands abandoned, and the locals claim that it is haunted.
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4. Tower of Wind, Tokyo, Japan
Located in the ocean close to Tokyo’s airport, the Tower of the Wind (Japanese: Kaze no to) and is actually a ventilation shaft for Tokyo Bay Aqualine.
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This beautiful building is shaped to look like the sails of a ship from a distance. It took 31 years to build the tower, costing $11.2 billion. It is the midway point for the undersea tunnel that connects Yokohama and Chiba under the Tokyo Bay.
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5. Montreal Tower, Canada
The tallest inclined tower in the world, Canada’s Montreal Tower is part of the Olympic Stadium and rises to a height of 175 meters (546ft).
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The top of the tower provides visitors with breathtaking panoramic views of the greater Montreal region.
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The tower’s tilt is at a 45° angle, which is very impressive considering that the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa only has a 5° angle.
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6. Ciechanów Tower, Poland
This odd structure was built in 1972 and was meant to serve as a restaurant and an observatory. Sadly, the project was abandoned and the tower now remains a silent, lonely witness.
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The tower is a hyperboloid, using its geometry to achieve maximum structural strength while using the minimum required materials.
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7. Kalyazin Bell Tower, Russia
Measuring 74.5 meters (244ft) tall, the Kalyazin Bell Tower stands on a tiny island in the Volga River and was the belfry of the St. Nicholas Monastery in the late 18th-century.
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In 1939, Stalin ordered the construction of the Uglich Reservoir, which resulted in the flooding of the old town of Kalyazin. The tower is the only remnant of the old town and has become somewhat of a tourist attraction.
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8. The Leaning Tower of Yekaterinburg, Russia
Originally built as a TV broadcasting tower, the Yekaterinburg Tower was never completed due to engineering mistakes. It now measures 220 meters (720ft), though the original plans were for a 400 meters (1,310ft) tall tower.
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Since the construction was halt midway, the planned elevator was never installed, forcing visitors who wish to reach the top take the stairs.
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One of the major results of the engineering mistakes during construction gave the tower a slight lean. Since then, the tower has become quite a monument for the city.
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9. Shime Tower, Fukuoka, Japan
This 47 meter (156ft) monstrosity used to be a coal mine between 1941-1964. It was constructed during WWII to increase the production of coal for the Japanese Imperial Army.
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The building stands over the mine’s shaft, going down 430 meters (1,411ft) and rumor has it that during the war, the mine used Allied POWs as miners.
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10. PL Peace Tower, Osaka, Japan
This unusual tower stands at 183 meters (600ft) and is the headquarters of the Church of Perfect Liberty, as well as a monument for all those who perished in wars throughout history.
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On June 6 of every year, the tower is the site of the world’s largest fireworks display. The show features five times as many fireworks as the average show, with a huge culmination that lights up the entire sky above the city.
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11. Ivy Тower, Bruges, Belgium
The Gruuthuse Tower (more commonly known as the Ivy Tower) is part of the Gruuthuse Museum, dating back to the 15th-century.
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During the autumn, the ivy covering the tower slowly turns from green to shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown. The sight is stunning, drawing thousands of tourists to the city during that time.
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12. The Pirate Tower, Laguna Beach, U.S.A.
Despite its medieval look, this tower was built in 1926 as a private staircase to Laguna Beach. These days, the tower is closed due to safety concerns.
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The unusual shape and location make this tower into quite a sight, and on windy days, one can hear the wind howling through the small windows.
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Saturday, April 11, 2015
12 Odd and Unusual Towers
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