Leaning Tower of Zaragoza

In 1892, Zaragoza's city council decided to demolish the tower, justifying the decision with the inclination and probable ruin.

The top was added in 1749, being a triple spire, with slate roofs, removed in 1878 in its last years.

The tower began to lean soon after construction, possibly due to haste while building the foundation and the first body.

In the 19th century the tower was heavily reproduced by painters and photographers, among them Charles Clifford, in October 1860, and J. Laurent, between 1863 and 1877.

Imperial Brands' defunct William's cigarette dedicated a picture and description as part of a collection's series about interesting buildings around the world.

It measures a little over 40 ft. at the base, is in plan an octagon, and is constructed entirely of brick, but with a variety of forms, ornament, and details, recalling both the Gothic and the Moorish styles.

As in the previous examples, the bricks are of the Roman type, long and flat, and are laid with a very thick bed of mortar.

It is intensely interesting to study this design in detail, as we can see how cleverly the effect is obtained with a minimum of effort.

In 1892, Zaragoza's city council decided to tear down the tower, justifying the decision by inclination and alleged ruin of the work.