Italy's Pisa plans to test appeal of towering Ferris wheel

ROME — The Italian city of Pisa has decided to add a towering Ferris wheel to its roster of tourist attractions.

The Tuscan city's culture commissioner, Andrea Ferrante, told state TV on Sunday that the big wheel will be roughly the height of Pisa's famed Leaning Tower, or more than 50-meters (165-feet) -high.

Plans call for it to be installed where a parking lot now stands for three months this summer to test its popularity.

From the top of the wheel, riders will be able to see both the tower and the nearby Mediterranean Sea.

But the culture advocacy group Italia Nostra says the amusement park-type attraction will clash with the city's Medieval architecture, including structures such as the Leaning Tower and the Pisa Cathedral.