Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Illinois Niles Leaning Tower of Niles

Leaning Tower of Niles

Half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa built to honor Galileo.

Niles, Illinois

Added By
anhie
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/63543004@N00/...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/kestenbaum/73...
Plaque lists the tower’s dimensions, purpose, and honors Galileo   http://www.flickr.com/photos/kestenbaum/73...
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque on Tower   Ventress / Atlas Obscura User
Photograph of the Leaning Tower of Niles slightly obscured by surrounding trees   Rachael the Explorer / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
04/15/2023   alittlebrowndog / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

For those who have yet to make it to Pisa, Italy, the Leaning Tower of Niles, located in Niles, Illinois, provides a similar—albeit scaled down—experience of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Located just outside the city of Chicago, the Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-sized replica of the famous tower in Pisa. It is made of steel, concrete and precast stone and is 94 feet (28 m) tall with a 7.4-foot (2.2 m) tilt. Completed in 1934 by Robert Ilg, the Niles tower was originally intended to store water for public swimming pools and to serve as a recreation park for the employees of the Ilg Hot Air Electric Ventilating Company.

Ilg also erected the utility tower as a monument to honor the famous astronomer Galileo, who was rumored to have utilized the original Tower of Pisa in his physics experiments. The land was donated to the YMCA in 1960 and, in 1991, the town of Niles became a sister city to Pisa, Italy.

Today, the Leaning Tower YMCA consists of four fountains, a 30-foot pool and a plaque on site that reads: "This tower is dedicated to all who contribute and strive to make this earth and its unlimited resources, materially and scientifically a better place for mankind."

Related Tags

Replicas Statues Architectural Oddities Architecture

Community Contributors

Added By

anhie

Edited By

Darrell Powers, alittlebrowndog, Rachael the Explorer, Ventress

  • Darrell Powers
  • alittlebrowndog
  • Rachael the Explorer
  • Ventress

Published

February 19, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2092
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Niles
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-19075-Exploring-Chicago-Examiner~y2009m11d8-The-Leaning-Tower-of-Niles--looming-over-Touhy-Avenue-for-75-years
  • http://brandeeshafer.blogspot.com/2013/07/family-vacation-2013-chicago-land-pt-2.html
Leaning Tower of Niles
6300 Touhy Avenue
Niles, Illinois, 60714
United States
42.012545, -87.784054
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Superdawg Drive-In

Chicago, Illinois

miles away

Noble–Seymour–Crippen House

Chicago, Illinois

miles away

Pickwick Theatre

Park Ridge, Illinois

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Illinois

Illinois

United States

Places 370
Stories 19

Nearby Places

Superdawg Drive-In

Chicago, Illinois

miles away

Noble–Seymour–Crippen House

Chicago, Illinois

miles away

Pickwick Theatre

Park Ridge, Illinois

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Illinois

Illinois

United States

Places 370
Stories 19

Related Stories and Lists

Leaning Tower of Niles

Podcast

By The Podcast Team

Related Places

  • Glasgow, Scotland

    Hutchesons' Hall Statues

    A brother statue swap has adorned this building's facade for centuries.

  • Icarus statue at night

    Belgrade, Serbia

    Icarus on the Air Force Command Building

    An Art Deco Icarus statue adorns this abandoned gem of Yugoslav Modernist architecture.

  • A rear view of the Merlion statue and Marina Bay Sands.

    Singapore

    Merlion

    This statue once earned the distinction as one of the "Three Major Disappointments of the World."

  • Wooden Squirrels of Mount Royal Chalet.

    Montreal, Québec

    Wooden Squirrel Carvings

    The vaulted ceiling is home to a scurry of “squirrelgoyles.”

  • London, England

    Epstein's Medical Sculptures

    A series of carved figures that scandalized British society.

  • The Chester Imp.

    Chester, England

    Chester Imp

    A mysterious demonic figure peers down from its perch within the gorgeous Chester Cathedral.

  • Air Crash.

    Madrid, Spain

    Air Crash

    A whimsical brother of the nearby Fallen Angel statue takes the falling part quite literally.

  • The Indecent Little Man of St James Church

    Brno, Czechia

    The Indecent Little Man on the Church of St. James

    A cheeky architectural easter egg.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.