The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Leaning Tower of Niles (Classic)

6 snips
Apr 25, 2025
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Local Familiarity vs Visitor Surprise

  • Katie Schneider sometimes forgets the Leaning Tower of Niles is there because she sees it so often.
  • A visiting Italian friend was very surprised to see the tower in the Chicago suburb.
INSIGHT

Niles Tower: Half-Size, Purposeful Lean

  • The Leaning Tower of Niles is an exact half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
  • It leans intentionally and serves as both landmark and functioning water tower.
ANECDOTE

Founder Ilg's Vision for the Tower

  • Robert Ilg, a German immigrant and inventor, built the Leaning Tower of Niles as an employee-friendly water tower in his park.
  • He chose the Leaning Tower of Pisa design to inspire scientific thinking, dedicating it to Galileo.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app