Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy, photo by Eustaquio Santimano — Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
It is a fair statement to say that the famed Leaning Tower steals the spotlight when it comes to the city of Pisa, Italy. The tower is located in Pisa’s cathedral square, which is called Piazza del Duomo, and yes, it sure does literally lean.
The freestanding bell tower was intended to stand up straight. But it began to lean very shortly after the onset of construction in 1173. Currently, the tower leans to the southwest at an angle of about 3.99 degrees.
A guided visit within the Leaning Tower of Pisa involves climbing 300 steps and takes only about an hour. But don’t worry, there are plenty of other wonderful things to do in Pisa, despite the fact that the names of these things may simply not be as famous and recognizable!
Pisa was once at the heart of a great Renaissance Republic, and today is an enchanting area to visit with gorgeous examples of Romanesque architecture.
The Camposanto Monumentale, or monumental cemetery, is known as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. There is nothing macabre about strolling through this graveyard; it is very picturesque, historic, and serene. The cemetery was founded in 1277 and completed in 1464, and includes a cloister of vast galleries around a large central area.
Towards the middle of the fifteenth century the Camposanto contained one of the largest painting series of its time: the walls were entirely covered in frescos. However they were destroyed following bombings during WWII.
Another cemetery in this area that is a great place to visit is the Jewish Cemetery, which is located within Piazza dei Miracoli. It is one of the oldest Hebrew cemeteries in Europe and dates all the way back to 1648. The inscriptions on the tombs are in Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and Czech.
One of the design elements for which the Jewish Cemetery is most famous is its range of burial styles that are represented, from the traditional Hebrew burial mounds that date back all the way to the 16th and 17th centuries to the Liberty styles from the 19th and 20th centuries.
While in Pisa you also will want to take the time to stroll through the Knights’ Square, or Piazza dei Cavalieri. This square was the important political and social center of medieval Pisa. During the 16th century it was then transformed by Giorgio Vasari, the Italian painter and architect, on the wishes of Cosimo I De Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The center of the square is now dominated by a famous statue of Cosimo I de Medici.
It also hosts the Palazzo della Carovana dei Cavalieri, or Palace of the Convoy, which today houses the Scuola Normale Superiore, a higher learning institution. Located on the left is the Palazzo dell’Orologio, an age-old hospital of the Order of Knights of St. Stephen.
Within the square you’ll also find the Church of Saint Stephen of the Knights, another building designed by Giorgio Vasari, with an ornate marble facade. The interior of the church is also well known and celebrated for its impressively engraved ceiling.
During your visit to Pisa I’m sure you’ll be fascinated by the famous Tower, which is known the world over. But don’t miss the other things to do in this charming Tuscan city.
Print This
Tweet This
Email Stuart
Twitter
Skype