Pisa

<< Tuscany

Pisa is a city located along the Arno river near the coast of Tuscany. Known all over the world for its leaning tower, it features many more artistic and architectonic masterpieces, and a rich cultural heritage. Founded in prehistoric times, Pisa was a Roman port and remained an important center in the Early Middle Ages. Between the 11th and 13th century, the Republic of Pisa, one of the four main maritime republics of Italy, was one of the major powers in the Mediterranean. During this time, Pisa ruled over Corsica, most of Sardinia, and many colonies in the Levant, established during the Crusades. Pisa was eventually defeated by Genoa, its main rival, in 1284, and its power began to decline. The city was annexed by Florence in 1406 and it has been mainly a cultural center ever since. Now Pisa is a tourist destination thanks to its historic attractions, but it is also known for hosting three prestigious universities: the University of Pisa, the Scuola Normale Superiore, and the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies.

✪ Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Torre Pendente di Pisa), also simply known as Tower of Pisa (Torre di Pisa), is the bell tower of the Pisa Cathedral, and one of the most famous landmarks in Italy. The tower was built in various phases between the 12th and 14th century in Romanesque style, and it features a peculiar circular shape and a series of decorated arches and columns. Due to the soft terrain on which it was built, the tower started to sink and lean soon after its construction began. After many restorations works to stabilize the structure, the tower is now tilted by 3.97 degrees.

✪ Pisa Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta)

The Pisa Cathedral (Duomo di Pisa) is the greatest work of the Pisan Romanesque architecutral style. The large church was built in the late 11th century, with some later additions. The exterior of the cathedral is richly decorated, and its facade is adorned with several arches and columns. One of the doors of the church is the Porta di San Ranieri, the copy of a 12th-century decorated bronze door, with the original hosted in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo di Pisa. The interior of the church features many decorations and artworks, such as the large mosaic in the apse, made by Cimabue in 1302. The church also houses an elaborate pulpit sculpted in the 14th century by Giovanni Pisano and several decorated chapels. The cathedral stands at the center of Piazza dei Miracoli, a large square that also hosts the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Pisa Baptistery, the Camposanto Monumentale, and the buildings of the Sinopia Museum and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo di Pisa.

✪ Pisa Baptistery

Also known as: Baptistery of Saint John (Battistero di San Giovanni)

The Pisa Baptistery (Battistero di Pisa) is the baptistery of the Pisa Cathedral, erected between the 12th and 14th century. The building features a blend of Romanesque and Gothic characteristics and it is adorned with several elaborate decorations, reliefs, arches, and columns. The baptistery features a large dome and it houses a 13th-century pulpit sculpted by Nicola Pisano.

Camposanto Monumentale

The Camposanto Monumentale is a monumental cemetery located on the northern side of Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. The building is a quadrangular cloister built in the 13th century that historically served as a burial site for many notable citizens of Pisa. The cloister features elaborate decorations and it houses several ancient funerary monuments and sarcophagi. The walls of the cloister are adorned with various frescoes, which have been partially destroyed during World War II.

Sinopia Museum

The Sinopia Museum (Museo delle Sinopie) is an art museum on the southern side of Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. The museum houses a large collection of sinopie, preparatory sketches for the frescoes in the nearby Camposanto Monumentale, dating from the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo di Pisa

The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo di Pisa is an art museum in Pisa hosting several artworks linked with the nearby Pisa Cathedral, along with various pieces from the entire Mediterranean region. The museum houses numerous sculptures and religious artworks, and the original 12th-century bronze door Porta di San Ranieri from the cathedral.

Walls of Pisa

Large sections of the historic medieval walls of Pisa surround the entire northern and eastern side of the city center, most notably around Piazza dei Miracoli, with smaller sections located south of the Arno river. Numerous towers, gates, and ramparts are located along the walls.

Botanical Garden of Pisa

The Botanical Garden of Pisa (Orto Botanico di Pisa) is the oldest university botanical garden in the world, founded in 1543 and later moved to different positions in the city over the centuries. The garden features several species of plants from all over the world, and a museum dedicated to botany.

Piazza dei Cavalieri

Piazza dei Cavalieri is a square in Pisa surrounded by various historic buildings. The southeastern side of the square features the Church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri, built in Mannerist style in the 16th and 17th century. Next to this church is Palazzo della Carovana, a 16th-century palace designed by Giorgio Vasari that now serves as the headquarters of the Scuola Normale Superiore. The northern side of the square is closed by the Palazzo dell’Orologio, a medieval palace later reworked by Vasari.

Baths of Nero

The Baths of Nero (Bagni di Nerone) are the ruins of a thermal complex in Pisa, and the only Roman structure still visible in the city. The complex was built at the end of the 1st century, and it got its name during the Middle Ages, when it was mistakenly believed to be part of a palace built by Nero.

Church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria

The Church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria is a Gothic church in Pisa erected between the 13th and 14th century. The church features a decorated facade, while its interiors host a few historic artworks and sculptures.

Church of San Nicola

The Church of San Nicola is a historic church erected in Pisa during the Late Middle Ages. The building features some decorations and artworks, but it is best known for its peculiar octagonal bell tower, dating around the 12th or 13th century.

Museum of Ancient Ships of Pisa

The Museum of Ancient Ships of Pisa (Museo delle Navi Antiche di Pisa) is a museum hosted in the 16th-century shipyards of the Arsenali Medicei. The museum hosts reconstructions of ships dating from the Etruscan period to the Early Middle Ages, and it also houses several archaeological finds and ancient artworks.

Church of Santa Maria della Spina

The Church of Santa Maria della Spina is a church located along the Arno river in Pisa. Built between the 13th and 14th century, the church features elaborate Gothic decorations, and it is adorned with several sculptures and arches. During the 19th century, the church was restored and moved to its current position, and its appearance was partially altered in the process.

Church of San Paolo a Ripa d’Arno

The Church of San Paolo a Ripa d’Arno is a Romanesque church erected in the Late Middle Ages in Pisa. The church features a decorated facade and a simple interior with some artworks and a Roman sarcophagus. Behind the church is the Sant’Agata Chapel (Cappella di Sant’Agata), a 12th-century decorated Romanesque chapel.

Palazzo Giuli Rosselmini Gualandi

Also known as: Palazzo Blu

Palazzo Giuli Rosselmini Gualandi is a historic palace located along the Arno river in Pisa, known for its peculiar blue color. The palace features decorated interiors and houses an art museum with works dating from the Late Middle Ages to the 20th century. The palace also hosts temporary art exhibitions.

Church of San Michele in Borgo

The Church of San Michele in Borgo is a church erected in Pisa starting in the 11th century, and later reworked a few times. The building features a facade that blends Romanesque and Gothic elements, while the interior is simple and hosts a few artworks.

National Museum of San Matteo

The National Museum of San Matteo (Museo Nazionale di San Matteo) is a museum of art and archaeology hosted in a former medieval convent in Pisa. Its collection includes numerous paintings and sculptures from the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, including works by Donatello, Masaccio, Ghirlandaio, and many more artists active in Pisa during those times. The museum also houses various archaeological finds from around the city and several historic ceramics.

Graphics Museum of Palazzo Lanfranchi

The Graphics Museum of Palazzo Lanfranchi (Museo della Grafica di Palazzo Lanfranchi) is a museum of drawings, prints, and engravings hosted in a historic building in Pisa. Its rich collection includes mostly works from the 19th and 20th century.

Basilica of San Pietro Apostolo

The Basilica of San Pietro Apostolo is a historic church in San Piero a Grado, a small town near Pisa. The structure was built between the 10th and 12th century in Romanesque style, and it curiously has two apses and no facade. Its interiors feature a large cycle of medieval frescoes.