The Tower of Pisa, Italy (1399) —
Possibly the world's most famous leaning structure, the UNESCO World-Heritage listed Tower of Pisa was designed to be vertical but started leaning during its construction, which began in 1173. Closed from 1990 to 2001 due to fears of an imminent collapse, the tower has been stabilized at a 4.95 degree lean according to John Burland, a British engineer who is credited with devising the final solution that saved the building.
Church of St Mary and All Saints, Derbyshire, United Kingdom (c. 1360) —
Leaning 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) from its center, the "Crooked Spire Church" as it's also known was built at the end of the 13th century and completed around 1360. Although designed to be straight, it is thought that the lead weights used to cover the spire caused its green timber frame to warp and lean.
Huma Temple, Orissa, India (c. 1560) —
Dedicated to the Indian God Lord Shiva, the leaning temple of Huma is thought to have been constructed between 1545 and 1560 and is part of a larger shrine, whose different parts lean to different sides. It is not known whether the temple's lean is intentional or a result of its soft riverside foundations.
The bell tower of the church of Suurhusen, East Frisia, Germany —
Recognized by Guinness World Records as the tower with the highest degree of tilt in the world, the 90 foot (27.4 meter) bell tower of this church in Germany has a 5.2 degree inclination. Although the building was built in the mid-1200s, the tower wasn't added until 1450.
Asinelli and Garisenda towers, Bologna, Italy (c. 1119) —
Known as the "Two Towers of Bologna", these famous medieval structures were once part of a series of more than 100 towers that once dotted the skyline of this northern Italian city. Two of twenty surviving structures, the taller Asinelli tower was completed between 1109 and 1119 at a height of 318 feet (97 meters) and now leans at a moderate 1.5 degrees. The smaller 157 foot (48 meter) Garisenda Tower was built around the same time but now tilts at a more severe -- and far more obvious -- 3.97 degrees.
The Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben), London, England (1859) —
The Elizabeth Tower -- or Big Ben as it is better known, after the bell it houses -- stands at the north end of the British Houses of Parliament and is inclined to the north by about 0.28 degrees, according to Burland. It's believed the structure started leaning early after its completion, but various underground works in the intervening years threatened to topple it further. Burland, who helped stabilize the building, says Big Ben continues to subside, but that it "will take 5,000 years if it continues at this rate to reach the leaning tower of Pisa."
Bad Frankenhausen church tower, Thuringia, Germany (1382) —
The 184 foot (56 meter) high tower on the Church of Our Beloved Ladies by the Mountain in the German spa town of Bad Frankenhausen was first reported to be subsiding in historical documents from 1640. The tower has listed further to the northeast since that time and is now estimated to have a 4.8 degree lean. Fearing imminent collapse, the German government approved funding for restoration works to stabilize the structure in 2014.
The Demidov Tower, Neviansk, Russia (c. 1730) —
The 189 foot (58 meter) Demidov Tower -- better known as the "Leaning Tower of Neviansk" -- in Russia has an obvious lean. The top of the tower is tilted 7.2 feet (2.2 meters) from the center, an incline of approximately 3 degrees.
The minaret of the Great Nur-al-Din Mosque, Mosul, Iraq (1172) —
Built 900 years ago, this mosque is better known by locals as al-Hadba' -- or the hunchback -- due to its tower's distinct tilt. The 150 foot (45 meter) minaret is one of the few original elements of the medieval Nur al-Din complex, which has been placed on the World Monuments Watch due to its risk of destruction. UNESCO is working with the Iraqi government to safeguard the icon.
Huzhu Pagoda, Songjiang, China (1079) —
This ancient Buddhist pagoda was built on the Tianma Mountain in Songjiang County, near Shanghai, China. The 62 foot (19 meter) high tower has an obvious tilt and is estimated to be leaning more than six and a half degrees to the southeast.
The Yunyan Pagoda, Jiangsu Province, China (961) —
Also known as Tiger Hill Pagoda for the hill in Suzhou city that it is built upon, this seven-story brick structure is 156 feet (47.5 meters) tall and is estimated to be leaning at an angle of 3.5 degrees.
The Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia (1885) —
Now a famous local tourist attraction, this slanted brick and wood tower is 84 feet (25.5 meters) tall and was originally used as a water tank and -- thanks to the large clock on its top -- a time keeper. The weight of the water and the soft ground beneath the tank have caused it to lean to the southwest.
Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2011) —
The curvaceous 540 foot (165 meter) tall Capital Gate building is now an iconic part of the Abu Dhabi skyline. Designed by British architects RMJM to tilt 18 degrees to the west -- more than four times the angle of the Tower of Pisa -- it is recognized as the "furthest-leaning man-made tower" in the world by Guinness World Records.
Montreal Olympic Stadium, Québec, Canada (1976) —
Constructed for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, the 541 foot (165 meter) Tower that sits atop the Montreal Olympic Stadium has an intentional 45-degree lean. Designed by French architect Roger Taillibert, it is the tallest man-made leaning tower in the world, according to Guiness World Records.
Dancing House, Pargue, Czech Republic (1996) —
The fantastical Nationale-Nederlanden building in Prague -- or "Fred and Ginger" as it's colloquially known -- was designed by American architect Frank Gehry to have an intentional lean.
Puerta de Europa, Madrid, Spain (1996) —
Also know as the "Gate of Europe," these twin office towers designed by American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee rise 373 feet (114 meters) into the sky at an angle of 15 degrees.
Santos, São Paulo, Brazil —
The coastal town of Santos, about 50 miles (80 km) to the south of Brazil's financial center of São Paulo, is well known for its tilted high rise apartment buildings. Constructed on a bed of sand and slippery clay, approximately 90 of the city's waterfront buildings lean due to insufficient foundations that don't go deep enough. Although people still live in these tilted towers -- and the local government insists they are safe -- the value of the buildings plummeted when the lean became apparent.
