An Italian public works inspector said the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa is healthy and shows no signs of tilting any further.
Francesco Karrer, Italy's public works chief, says he was shown readings from a battery of sensors installed in the monument to monitor its condition, which was described as "excellent," Italian news agency ANSA reported Wednesday.
Archaeologist Salvatore Settis is heading the latest round of cleaning and safety work.
"The works will be wound up by the end of spring," Settis said.
Visitors are still allowed to climb to the top of the 184-foot tower while renovation continues.
The tower was begun in 1174 and completed in 1350. It was measured between 1550 and 1817 and the lean was determined to be a mere 2 inches, but by 1838 that inclination had increased by 8 inches.
The tower was closed in 1988 and was saved from toppling in a decade long engineering project in the 1990s, reopening to the public in December 2001.
After an inspection in 2005, experts predicted the tower would be safe for another 300 years, ANSA said.
Source: UPI [January 12, 2011]