PISA – leaning toward a good time
Thursday – this morning sees us rise and breakfast early as we have to catch the 8.53am train from Florence for our day’s excursion to Pisa.
After our usual brekkie of coffee & pastry – I don’t think the cafe has received any fresh pastries since we arrived – we head off to the station with tickets, travel books and cameras etc in hand.
Even at this early hour the station is busy but we manage to find our platform and as we do not require a reservation for our travel we select the first class carriage (thanks Eurail) and get our seats.
Leaving Florence and heading west towards the coast we see some lovely albeit sparse scenery. About and hour and a half later we arrive at Pisa and now have to find our way to the main attractions – the Leaning Tower and the Field of Miracles.
This is the Pisa Railway Station. The photo is taken on our way to the Leaning Tower, so that means coming out of the station we head straight down the main street, over a bridge and continue on until we reach the Field of Miracles. Easy peasy.
Crossing the first square outside the station we discover a statue (yes another one) of Niccola Pisano.
Nicola Pisano (c. 1220/1225 – c. 1284) was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the founder of modern sculpture. He moved to Pisa between 1245 and 1250, where his son Giovanni was born. Around 1255 he received a commission for the pulpit in the Baptistry of Pisa. He finished this work in 1260 and signed with “Nicola Pisanus”. This pulpit is considered one of his masterworks.
Between 1260 and 1264 he finished the work on the dome of the baptistery. He increased its height with a system of two domes : a small truncated cone on top of the hemispherical dome. The two rows of gables were later decorated by his son between 1277 and 1284.
Our walk continues down the street where we come to the bridge over the River Arno. Thanks to its powerful navy, Pisa dominated the Western Mediterranean through the 11th to the 15th centuries.
Its splendid buildings date from this era but the city fell into decline when the Arno silted up creating salt marsh that divided it from the sea.
As it has been a while since breakfast we stop at a little cafe before reaching the bridge and I get a ham and cheese panini and an icy cold bottle of water.
Continuing on our way we find a little square to sit and relax and eat some of our food before heading off again. The streets are very narrow and together with the heat of the day and the tourists it is rather overpowering.
We finally reach the open space known as the Field of Miracles.
It is the most popular attraction in Pisa and one of the most famous places in the world. Most tourists coming to spend their holidays in Tuscany visit the square of the Leaning Tower, the Duomo, the Baptistry, the Monumental Cemetery and the museums and we three tourists are no different.
Sitting on the grassy verge at the front of the field (this photo is taken from the other side) we get an excellent view of the Cathedral and the Leaning Tower. Of course there are the never ending bunch of tourists all having their photo taken whilst trying to prop up the Tower (yes, we will also do this).
We have purchased our ticket – 10 euro per person and this allows us admission to see everything except climbing to the top of the Tower which we agreed we did not want to do! As the lines are long to see the Cathedral we decide to make our first stop Campo Santo – or the Old Cemetery.
Compared to the more elaborate buildings it is a simple monument. Actually, it was planned to be simple on the outside, but it magnificent in the inside. Unfortunately, it was severely damaged by fire during World War II (1944), but it is still well worth a visit.
The Campo Santo (“Holy Field”) or Monumental Cemetery was constructed in 1278 around sacred dirt brought back from Golgotha during the Crusades. Later decorated with extensive frescoes, it was the burial place of the Pisan upper class for centuries.
As you can see the tombs and frescoes are around the inner walls of this building. Some of the sculptures on the tombs are very melancholy.
The most beautiful and melancholy of all in my opinion is the tomb of Ottaviano Fabrizio Mossotti.
In 1841 Mossotti became professor of mathematics, theoretical astronomy and geodesy at the University of Pisa, where he remained until his death.
The reclining woman on his tomb is the Allegory of Astronomy.
Our next stop is The Baptistry. Once inside I am rather disappointed that it is rather devoid of any decoration, although it does seem bigger on the inside than what it looked standing outside.
HISTORY LESSON : Construction on The Baptistry began in the Romanesque style under Diotisalvi in 1153. Nicola and Giovanni Pisano gave the upper part a Gothic transformation between 1277 and 1297 and Cellino di Nese added the Gothic dome in the 1300s. It was finally completed in 1363.
Italy’s largest Baptistry (54.86m tall and 104m in circumference), it is also slightly taller than the Leaning Tower across the square. As it shares the same unstable ground as the tower, the baptistery also has a slight lean of 0.6 degrees towards the cathedral.
Standing under the huge vaulted dome there are no frescoes, mosaics or paintings to gain my attention. It is very plain and after losing interest I am drawn to the Font and the Pulpit which are the only items worthy of further investigation.
The central baptismal font, located in the middle of the building and atop three steps, was carved and inlaid in 1246 by the Gothic sculptor Guido Bigarelli da Como (active 1238-57). In the center of the font is a 20th-century statue of St. John the Baptist, to whom The Baptistery is dedicated.
The font is enriched with eight faces decorated by central rose-windows and by geometrical marble decorations.
The Baptistry’s pulpit is a masterpiece carved in 1255-60 by Nicola Pisano. It was the prototype for a series of four monumental pulpits he created with his son Giovanni.
The pulpit’s high reliefs, which depict scenes from the life of Christ, are strongly influenced by classical art – including the Roman sarcophagi and Greek vase now in the Camposanto. Many of the figures look like pagan gods christianized as Madonnas and saints.
Next stop – The Duomo or The Cathedral. It is the oldest building of the piazza and was dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. It was founded in 1063 on the remains of the old Etruscan and Roman temples.
The first stone of Pisa Cathedral was laid in 1093 and the main architect was Buscheto, who is buried in the last blind arch on the left side of the facade. The facade itself was built by Buscheto’s successor, Rainaldo.
A disastrous fire in 1595 destroyed most of the cathedral’s medieval art, but some of the best Renaissance artists were hired for the redecoration work.
Inside, is another exceptional artwork from this era – Giovanni Pisano’s pulpit (1302-11), which is widely regarded as a great masterpiece.
It was not always so popular, however. Those who undertook the renovations after the 1595 fire thought the old Gothic pulpit was an eyesore, so they dismantled it and stored it in a crate.
Rediscovered in 1926, it was reassembled and now, once again, it occupies its original place on the north side of the nave.
Walking around the inside of the cathedral I realise how stark the Baptistry is. The cathedral is full of wonderment, chapels and relics whilst the better part of the Baptistry is the outside carvings.
But enough – back to the inside of the Cathedral.
LEFT : the nave that is flanked by granite Corinthian columns. These columns actually come from the mosque of Palermo and were ‘captured’ by the Pisans and brought to the city in year 1063.
CENTRE : St. Ranierius – Pisa’s patron saint and the patron saint of all travelers. On his death his body was carried in triumph through the city to the Cathedral where it still rests today.
RIGHT : the Chapel of the Most Holy Sacrament.
Leaving the Cathedral it is time for something to eat and a cold drink. There are plenty of vendors here so we get some pizza and cold water – and sit on the cool grass in the shade of the Baptistry.
It is relaxing to lay there and look up at the wonderful carvings on the building. About 30 minutes later we decide it is time to move on to the museums but I bet you are thinking that I have left something out. You’re right! Where is the Leaning Tower?
Of course I took many photos of the tower when we first arrived and before we started on the tours of the buildings but I think it is at this point that the Tower shows exactly how much it is leaning.
HISTORY LESSON : begun in 1173 the tower began to tip sideways before the third storey was completed, but construction continued until its completion in 1350. The tilt has now been corrected by 38cm.
Every where you view the tower there are tourists doing the touristy thing and having their photo taken propping up the tower. We still have two more places to visit – both Museums so it’s off we go again.
The Sinopie Museum contains many extremely interesting collections and pictures. Of particular interest are the famous Sinopie sketches (a sinopia is a monochrome sketch over which a fresco is painted) that were found beneath the remains of the Camposanto’s ruined frescoes.
Fancy standing in front of these original sketches. Some artists sketched only rough outlines but others spent more time sketching the final picture in great details as can be seen here. At this Museum there is also a display of period costumes that were worn for such films as Romeo and Juliet.
Back into the sunlight and we cross off one more of our must sees – the Fountain with the Angels.
It is located in the Field of Miracles and even though not a staggering, jaw dropping experience it is a most beautiful marble fountain.
Next it is off to the Cathedral Vestry Board Museum – our last stop for the day.
The museum contains works which used to adorn the monuments of the Field of Miracles and which, mainly for the safety of the items, had been moved to the warehouses of the Vestry Board.
It was set up in 1986 in a specially restored building, between Piazza dell’ Arcivescovado and Piazza del Duomo, which had been originally designed as a capitular seat (13th century) and then turned into an enclosure monastery.
The exhibition takes up rooms on two different floors and there is a good display of different works. It also has a lovely little shaded courtyard which overlooks the Leaning Tower.
I know that you have all been saying ‘where is the typical tragic tourist photo?’ – well, here it is. Kylie has done a remarkable job and it looks like I have even achieved to nearly set it straight. I don’t know my own strength.
Our train back to Florence leaves at 5.32pm and as we have seen everything – best part it was all in one spot – but first we must get the usual touristy treasures like fridge magnets. The afternoon is still hot and we notice vendors that have stands containing of pieces of coconut with cold water dripping over them, that’s original. I love coconut so I get a piece and munch happily away as we commence our walk back to the station.
We get into Florence around 6.30pm, walk back to our apartment which is not far from the station and collapse onto the beds.
Later that evening K&T decide to go out for something to eat but I decide to stay in and when they come back they bring me some Bruschetta. They also delight in telling me that the owner of the cafe gave them a glass of limoncello each. That would be right – free booze and I am not there.
It has been a great day seeing the sights of Pisa – tomorrow we head for the eternal city – Roma!
Highlight of the day : The Pisa Duomo