The most believed hypothesis is that the origin of the name Pisa comes from Etruscan and means 'mouth', as Pisa is at the mouth of the Arno river. Excavations made in the 1980s and 1990s found numerous archaeological remains, including the fifth century BC tomb of an Etruscan prince, proving the Etruscan origin of the city, and its role as a maritime city. Pisa took advantage of being the only port along the western coast between Genoa (then a small village) and Ostia. Pisa served as a base for Roman naval expeditions against Ligurians and Gauls. In 180 BC, it became a Roman colony under Roman law, as Portus Pisanus. In 89 BC, Portus Pisanus became a municipium. Emperor Augustus fortified the colony into an important port and changed the name to Colonia Iulia obsequens. During World War II, much of Pisa was destroyed by German and Allied bombing, however the cathedral, baptistery and famous Leaning Tower escaped unharmed.
Pisa experiences a Mediterranean climate. The city is characterized by cool mild winters (11.8 °C/72 °F) and hot summers (29.4 °C/84.9 °F). This transitional climate allows Pisa to enjoy a summer almost devoid of rain, typical of central and southern Italy, as the summer (the driest season) experiences occasional rain showers. Rainfall peaks in the autumn.
Our tour took us by bus from the port city of Livorno to Miracle Square in Pisa, where we enjoyed a walking tour through the central square followed by a cappuccino at one of many sidewalk cafes.
The bus dropped us off near the Piazza dei Miracoli (English: Miracle Square). Our walk to the Tower took us past several cafes, restaurants and small shops.
Piazza dei Miracoli
The Square is a walled 8.87 hectare area and is recognized as an important centre of European medieval art and one of the finest architectural complexes in the world. Considered sacred by the Catholic Church, it is dominated by four great religious edifices: the Pisa Cathedral, the Pisa Baptistry, the Campanile (Leaning Tower), and the Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery). In 1987, the whole square was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Campanile (bell tower)
Commonly known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, it is the last of the three major buildings on the piazza to be built, construction of the bell tower began in 1173 and took place in three stages over the course of 177 years, with the bell chamberonly added in 1372.
The tower stands approximately 60 m high, has 289 steps and was built to accommodate a total of seven main bells, cast to the musical scale
To the left of the tower stands the Cathedral (on the right) and the Baptistery (to the left).
The medieval cathedral is part of the Archdiocese of Pisa, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta (St. Mary of the Assumption), and has two aisles on either side of the nave. The transept consists of three aisles. Its construction began in 1064 by the architect Buscheto. It set the model for the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style of architecture. The building, as have several in Pisa, has tilted slightly since its construction, though not nearly to the extent of the nearby Tower.
The Baptistery
The Baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, stands opposite the west end of the Duomo. The round Romanesque building was begun in the mid 12th century. Construction started in 1152 to replace an older baptistery, and when it was completed in 1363, it became the second building, in chronological order, in the Piazza dei Miracoli.
Rosemary checking out the lean of the Tower.
Five years after construction began, when the building had reached the third floor level, the weak subsoil and poor foundation led to the building sinking on its south side. The building was left for a century, which allowed the subsoil to stabilize itself and prevented the building from collapsing. In 1272, to adjust the lean of the building, when construction resumed, the upper floors were built with one side taller than the other. The seventh and final floor was added in 1319.
A popular photo opportunity was for people to pose with their arms up as if supporting the Tower to prevent it from falling.
Rosemary's photo op.
The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
The current building opened in 1986 and houses a collection of religious sculptures and stone fragments. Outside the museum stands a marble statue of winged cherubs.
As we walked back towards the cafes, I spotted a lone woman in the square.
I spotted this rather bizarre bronze statue and decided it was worth taking a picture of. It wasn't until I took a really close look did I realize that it was of a body trapped in seaweed.
Palazzo dell'Arcivescovado
The Palazzo dell'Arcivescovado (English: Archbishop’s Palace) is the result of renovations under the prelate Philip de’ Medici (mid 15th century). The palace houses the Archives of the Archdiocese of Pisa. The inner courtyard (shown here) contains a statue of Moses by Andrea Vaccà (18th century)
Before boarding the bus, we had our customary cappuccino in the square.
Leaving Piza.