Where in the United States is the Leaning Tower of Niles?

The Leaning Tower of Niles is situated at 6300 Touhy Avenue in Niles, Illinois. The Tower is a half-size replica of Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa.

It was built by industrialist Robert Ilg as part of the recreation park for employees of the Ilg Hot Air Electric Ventilating Company of Chicago. Originally it was a utility tower, made from steel, concrete, and precast stone, designed to hide water filtration tanks. The tower was completed in 1934, which was the anniversary of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A plaque at the base of the Leaning Tower of Niles says that it was built to honor Galileo Galilei, who demonstrated that objects of different weights fall at the same speed when he dropped various items from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The Leaning Tower of Niles is 94 feet tall compared to Pisa's 177 feet and leans about 7 feet, 4 inches as opposed to Pisa's 13-foot tilt. It contains five bells. Three of the bells are thought to be several hundred years old, and to have been cast in Italy. How they came to be included in the tower is not known.

In 1991, the village of Niles, Illinois, established a sister city pact with Pisa, Italy.