Italy seems to have everything—delicious pizza, decadent pasta, an enchanting culture, and stunning architecture, including the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Some people wait their whole lives to capture a glimpse of this unique tower. However, if you live in Chicago, you don’t need to travel 4,646 miles to see it; there’s a replica right here in Illinois—the Leaning Tower of Niles.
Leaning Tower of Niles
That’s right; in the northwest suburb of Niles, there is a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the famously tilted bell tower found in Italy.
Completed in 1934, the replica was built by a factory owner named Rover llg to disguise a water tower that supplied a pair of swimming pools in a nearby park for his employees. According to the Village, it was so he could help preserve some of the area’s natural beauty.
The Leaning Tower of Niles stands approximately 94 feet tall, which is about half the height of the original in Pisa.
Though it is not open to the public, the inside of the tower is home to seven bells, three of which date back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, that once rang out in Italy.
Hear the Restored Bells Ring
Every day, the restored historic bells ring for several minutes on the hour at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 6:00 PM, playing familiar tunes and old favorites like “Red River Valley,” “On Top of Old Smoky,” “My Favorite Things,” and a custom melody just for Niles.
Where is the Leaning Tower of Niles?
Address: 6300 W Touhy Ave, Niles, IL 60714