India’s Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple is underwater for most of the year. – ILYA MAUTER/Wikimedia Commons
When it comes to leaning towers, Italy’s Tower of Pisa immediately comes to mind for many. Beyond this famous tilting icon, the world is full of peculiar structures like it – from church towers to temples to pagodas.
All of these leaning structures have their own fair share of stories, quirks and charms. Whether shaped by the shifting lands underneath, architectural miscalculations, or just the work of sheer time, these leaning landmarks will have you tilting your head in amazement.
At first sight, the temple looks like it had just washed up to shore from the River Ganges, buried halfway in the ground.
Tucked away in India’s East Varanasi and standing right by the bank of the river, this temple leans at about 9° – more than Pisa’s mere 4°.
For most of the year, the temple is submerged in the water, leaving only the shikhara (peak) exposed.
If you plan on visiting, it is recommended to go during the summer months as the river water recedes slightly, allowing more of the temple to be exposed.
During sunrise, the temple is bathed in the golden morning light; it is also when the Ganges comes alive with people offering prayers and performing holy rituals, making it the perfect time to visit.
Once a water reserve, Malaysia’s Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan is now a clock tower. – MARUFISH/Wikimedia Commons
Malaysia also has its very own leaning tower, located in Teluk Intan, Perak. Constructed in 1885, the 25m-tall tower was originally built to serve as a water reserve for usage during the dry season or when a fire breaks out.
Although the tower has been designed to look like an eight-storey pagoda on the outside, inside there are actually just three storeys, housing the water tank at the top level.
Despite being built upright originally, the tower began to lean slowly to the southwest due to the weight of the water reserve and the waterlogged soil underneath.
Now, leaning at an angle of about 5°, the structure has been turned into a clock tower and a tourist attraction. You can expect to hear the clock chime every 15 minutes.
At the top of Russia’s Nevyansk Tower sits a mysterious ‘acoustic room’. – VYACHESLAV BUKHAROV/Wikimedia Commons
Russia may be home to some of the most impressive architectural marvels – namely the colourful “onion” domes of Moscow and majestic palaces of Saint Petersburg – but did you know it’s also home to a mysterious leaning tower?
Standing tall (and off-kilter) in Sverdlovsk Oblast, the Nevyansk tower was built in the 18th century and continues to puzzle historians to this day.
Nobody knows for sure why the tower was built, nor if the lean was intentional or merely an engineering mishap.
If you visit the tower, be sure to go up to the top room – dubbed the “acoustic room” – where whispers can be heard clearly even when you’re standing in the other corner of the room.
Two families’ rivalry resulted in the creation of the Garisenda and Asinelli towers in Italy. – Bologna Tourism website
While the Pisa tower takes all the spotlight, Italy’s Bologna offers a medieval leaning spectacle of its own. The Asinelli Tower and the Garisenda Tower – collectively known as the “Two Towers” – date back to the 12th century.
The Garisenda can be seen leaning more dramatically (at an angle of 4°) due to the shifting foundations underneath.
The towers were built by the rivalling Garisenda and Asinelli families (hence the names), believed to be the result of a competition of power and wealth between them.
Due to renovation works on the precarious Garisenda, the towers have been closed off to visitors, but you can still view them from below in the surrounding streets and piazzas.
Seeing the towers and their adjacent red-bricked buildings crowding the town will serve as a stunning reminder of Italy’s medieval history.
The Tower of Suurhusen in Germany was once the world’s most tilted tower. – PETER ROHLEDER/Wikimedia Commons
The Leaning Tower of Suurhusen, Germany
In the quiet countryside north of Germany, a peculiar sight is bound to catch anyone who comes across it off guard – a church tower that looks like it’s moments away from toppling over.
The Leaning Tower of Suurhusen isn’t just a quirky architecture from the 15th century, it is one of the most tilted towers in the world at an astounding 5.2°.
For 15 years, it held the Guinness World Record for the most tilted tower, before being taken over by the Gau-Weinheim Bell Tower (5.4°) in Germany.
Built on marshy land, the church was once stabilised with oak beams. Over time, as the surrounding area was drained and the once-stable foundation shifted, the tower began to lean dramatically.
However, despite its precarious look, the tower has stood firm for centuries.
You can choose to explore the church building along with the adjacent war memorial – or you can simply stand beneath the tower and marvel at its slant which is an experience in itself.
If you are in the German state of Thuringia, the Oberkiche of Bad Frankenhausen is also a tilting spectacle that’s worth a visit. It has been tilting at an angle of 4.8° for centuries due to underground salt deposits.
China’s Tiger Hill Pagoda is surrounded by tranquil canals and classical gardens. – Pexels
China’s Suzhou is well-known for its Venice-like canals and classical gardens. It’s also home to the Tiger Hill Pagoda, nicknamed “The Leaning Tower of China”.
Perched on top of Tiger Hill, this 1,000-year-old pagoda is tilting at an angle of 3°. Despite its slant, the pagoda has been standing since the Song Dynasty, serving as a witness to Suzhou’s history.
Reaching the pagoda requires a short uphill walk, but a shuttle bus is available to take visitors to the top. There are also boat rides around the canals circling the hill, offering a scenic view of the surrounding lush gardens.
If you plan on visiting, do come in the morning to avoid the crowds, and don’t miss the nearby Sword Pool – legend has it that the famous warrior King He Lu was buried underneath along with 3,000 swords!
