Video: This Greek Church Tilts More Than The Leaning Tower Of Pisa, And Visitors Feel It

Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa often appears to defy laws of physics. The tilt of the tower makes it a global tourist attraction, with people clicking photos and videos of “pushing” the tower or jokingly trying to correct it. But if Italy is not in your budget, a trip to this Greek village may give you a similar experience as Pisa's iconic tower.

The Church of the Assumption of Mary in Ropoto, a village in Greece's Thessaly, offers a challenge for any visitor's balance skills. While Pisa's Leaning Tower tilts 3.9 degrees, this church has an inclination of 17 degrees. A video by Greek travel photographer Stefanos shows how even entering the church can be a test of sorts.

A Leaning Church In Greece

The church in Ropoto has become a tourist attraction on a word-of-mouth basis, Stefanos explained in his Instagram post. “It's crazy what kind of places can become an attraction,” Stefanos added.

While the government has put up a notice forbidding entry into the building, the door is wide open, making it easy for anyone to step inside. If you enter the church, you may immediately experience vertigo. While the eyes perceive everything as normal, you can feel the gravity and the slant, Stefanos said. This confuses the brain, leading to dizziness.

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Stefanos said that the place is worth a visit but advised people to be careful, especially if they get dizzy easily.

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Why Is The Church Tilted?

Until 2012, Ropoto was a quiet community of around 300 households. A powerful landslide caused almost the whole village to slip down the slope. People were forced to evacuate the area, as per the Jerusalem Post.

The settlement was abandoned after the landslide, which followed years of warnings about the unstable ground. The church has been tilted at an angle since the landslide. It remains a local attraction because of how its tilt tests perception and balance. Nearby attractions include the Paleokaria waterfalls, the stone bridge of Saint Vissarion at Pyli, the village of Elati, and the Church of Porta Panagia.