What to see in Pisa, Italy.
If you travel to Italy and think of Pisa, you most assuredly think of the Leaning Tower, the Torre Pendente. It's one of the most
recognizable sites in Europe. It is also an important example of architecture begun and built in Pisa during the city's time as a
Mediterranean sea power.
The eight-story tower was begun in 1173 as a bell tower for the cathedral next door. When the third story was added in 1274, the builders
found that the sandy soil on which the Tower stood couldn't support the new structure. So it started to lean. Thinking they could adjust, the architects continued with their work until the Tower was completed in 1350.
Today the Tower still leans and, after years of construction rehabilitation, it is open to the public. Building on land that couldn't support
the structure might have been bad planning, but it is obviously good for the tourist trade.
With or without the lean, however, the Tower is part of a combination of buildings all on the same piazza, the Piazza del Duomo, which are
excellent examples of Italian Romanesque and Early Renaissance architecture.
The cathedral, il Duomo, was designed in 1063 and has withstood numerous fires over the centuries. It's a magnificent structure on the
Piazza and contains the famous Pisano pulpit. The pulpit was built by Giovanni Pisano in 1310 and depicts, in relief, stories from the
gospels. Another main feature of the cathedral is the south door with Bonanno Pisano's bronze panels, the Door of St. Ranieri, the only
original door to survive a 1595 fire in the church. The cathedral and its surrounding area also hold classical music concerts during the
summer months.
Two other buildings on the Piazza need to be seen as well. The Baptistry was begun in 1152 and is a massive monument with delicate
marble decoration. Inside are the baptismal font and the pulpit, well worth the price of admission.
Much of the art work from both the Duomo and the Baptistry can be found at the Museo dell'Opera which opened in 1986.
Along with the Tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistry stands the Cemetery, il Campo Santo. This is a 13th century cemetery built with
distinctive cloistered architecture and which once housed frescoes celebrated throughout the art world. Mostly destroyed in a bombing during World War II, the sketches from the frescoes can be found at the Museo delle Sinopie.
A modern museum that holds artifacts from the city's early days is the Arsenale Medici. Built on the site of a 12th century storehouse for the Medici family of Florence, the museum is centered on an exhibit of twelve first century Roman wooden ships that were part of the city's early history as a port. Construction workers discovered the ships in 1998 and they tell of a time of Pisa's maritime importance before the silting of the Arno in the 12the century.
The art and architecture of Pisa should be enough for any tourist interested in 12th to 14th century culture, but, for those who travel to the city in June, another pleasure awaits. On the 16th of June, for the patron saint of Pisa, St. Ranieri, thousands of candles line the shore and surface of the Arno, the river that cuts through the center of the city. You can join the thousands of others who travel to Pisa every year to enjoy the spectacle.
The next day Pisa hosts a boat race taken directly from the thirteenth century. The regatta consists of four boats which compete for
prizes peculiar to this tradition - an ox, a sheep, a pig, and a rooster.
Perhaps you'll go to Pisa for the Leaning Tower, but, as you can see, the city has much to offer. In addition to the art and culture
mentioned here, stay also for the antiques fair at the Ponte di Mezzo, or shop in the city's markets, or enjoy the street performers where
you shop. Pisa has the flavor of medieval Italy and can easily bring you back to a time centuries past.
