In 1991, the Village of Niles established a sister city pact with Pisa, Italy, and in 1995, after leasing the area and tower from the YMCA, the Village of Niles began a $1.2 million renovation project. Cracks in the concrete widened with every freeze-thaw cycle, and the $500 annual budget to upkeep the tower and grounds proved inadequate.

Arrangements were made to turn over the tower to the Niles YMCA with the condition that the YMCA would spend a minimum of $500 annually to upkeep the tower and surrounding area until the year 2059. In 1960, the descendants of Robert Ilg donated part of the park for the construction of the Leaning Tower YMCA. Construction began in 1931 and was completed in 1934. The tower would be half the size of the original in Pisa: 94 feet tall, 28 feet in diameter, leaning 7.4 feet, and would be built with reinforced concrete.

Ilg was concerned about preserving the natural beauty of the area and decided to build a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to conceal the water tower. Robert Ilg, a successful businessman, built a 22-acre park, Ilgair Park, during the 1920s with two large outdoor pools, which needed to be supplied by a large outdoor water tank. Unfortunately, at this time, the Leaning Tower is not open for tours to the top.

Hear the Restored Bells Ring Each day the historic restored bells ring for several minutes on the hour at at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM with familiar tunes and old favorites like Red River Valley, On Top of Old Smokey, My Favorite Things and a custom melodie just for Niles! A 'clock chime' will ding every 15 minutes. Share your pictures on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages! With tons of shopping and restaurants in the area, visitors are invited to take pictures, enjoy a picnic and have fun as you marvel at the historic tower. This national landmark is open to the public with area parking available.

Leaning tower of pisa pizza