PISA, ITALY--
Pisa, located in western Tuscany, is known throughout the world for its famous Leaning Tower (which you can see in the far distance in the picture below--our first sighting). However, there is so much more to Pisa than just the tower!
In the middle ages, Pisa was a regional superpower in her medieval heyday (11th, 12th and 13th centuries), rivaling Florence and Genoa. However, Pisa's harbor filled with silt, and the once bustling port became barely navigable. Pisa's glory days were over.
Beautiful flower shop on our walk from the bus parking lot to Pisa's Cathedral Square.
A street we walked across named Leonardo da vinci. Yes, we knew we were definitely in Italy!
Souvenir stalls--a sure thing that we are almost there!
Finally--This is the monumental gateway through the city wall (1562), known as Porta Santa Maria, to Cathedral Square and THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA!!!
Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo) is a wide, walled area at the heart of the city of Pisa, recognized as one of the main centers for medieval art in the world. Partly paved and partly grassed, it is dominated by four white marble religious buildings; the Duomo (cathedral), the Campanile (the cathedral's free standing bell tower--The Tower of Pisa), the Baptistery and the Camposanto (burial place for the upper class). It is otherwise known as the "Square of Miracles." In 1987 the whole square was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"Pisan style" architecture incorporates both the European and Eastern architectures, which Pisan merchants and sailors were exposed to during their travels.
Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that allowed the foundation to shift direction.
The tower's construction began in 1173 and went on for two centuries. The third floor was constructed in 1178 when it began to lean, and construction stopped. Four more floors were built in 1272 to compensate for the inclination, and then construction stopped again until 1372 when the last floor was built and the bell finally installed.
The tower has 296 steps with two fewer steps on the opposite-facing staircase. The tower leans at an angle of 3.97 degrees.
Okay! After finally viewing the Leaning Tower and other grand buildings for the first time (George and Laura have actually been here once before), we experimented with a popular tourist activity to pose for photographs pretending to "hold up" the leaning tower and preventing it from falling.
First, George tried holding the tower up with his Coke bottle--
--and then Doug tried with his hand, but while aiming my camera, I didn't even get his hand close to "touching the tower.")--
--and then Laura's and my pictures appeared that we were touching the tower,--
--but not with what looked like a great deal of effort, which it definitely would take to prevent the tower from falling.--
--So, I think Doug and George finally got it right when they stood on the opposite side of the tower and "pushed" it!!!
Anyway, we had a fun time!!!
-------------------------------------------------
PISA'S BAPTISTRY--
Pisa's Baptistry is the largest baptistery in Italy.
The round building was begun in the 12th century. Construction was not finished until the 14th century when the gallery, top story and dome were added.
So, with the construction spanning over 200 years, the outside of the baptistery contains different architectural styles, depending on which style was popular at the time.
The statue of John the Baptist on top of the dome, makes it a few centimeters higher than the Leaning Tower.
What many people don't know is that the Baptistery (just like the cathedral and the tower) leans. It only leans around 0.6 degrees towards the cathedral, so it is hard to spot for the human eye.
The sculpted portal is flanked by two classical columns. A relief above the door is divided into two tiers. The lower one depicts several episodes in the life of St. John the Baptist,--
--while the upper one shows Christ between the Madonna and John the Baptist, flanked by angels and the evangelists.
Laura and I climbed the stairs high above the ground level up to the second floor to get a better view. We walked around what was evidently the women's gallery.
The magnificent dome is supported by four pillars and eight columns with carved capitals. While the exterior of the baptistery is highly decorative, the interior is surprisingly sparse! What was amazing was the vastness of the interior!
However, the baptistery is most known for is its perfect acoustics. A person can stand below the edge of the dome and sing a note for several seconds, and the sound will travel around and around the dome for many more seconds.
Doug stayed down below. You can see how small he looks in comparison to the extremely large interior.
The octagonal font (dates from 1246) has four small basins on the edges for immersing babies, whereas adults were also baptized by emersion in the large central basin. (You can see the circular basins in the picture above.)
A bronze sculpture of John the Baptist is at the center of the font.
Nearby the font is Pisano's white marble hexagonal pulpit. The pulpit's high reliefs depict scenes from the life of Christ and the middle level depicts personified Virtues and Prophets.--
--The great pulpit is supported by a central column on a pedestal with images and animals from ancient pagan religions and by six external columns. Three of the columns are set on the back of lions which symbolize the triumph of Christianity over pagan religions.
There were a few stained glass windows.
--------------------------------------------------
DUOMO--Cathedral--
Although this cathedral sits next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the building still dominates the square. The interior is spectacular with frescoes and detailed architecture, however we did not visit the inside.
The medieval Pisa Duomo (Cathedral) has a facade made of grey marble and white stone set with discs of colored marble.
Construction took place between 1064 and 1092.
A lot of the limestone and marble blocks for this cathedral were taken from older Roman buildings. The Roman gods were powerless against them because Christianity was now the strong religion.
Laura is standing in front of the main middle door of the cathedral that is decorated with a Half-moon area picturing Blessed Mary.
However, the usual entrance to the Duomo is this entrance, which faces the Leaning Tower. The original bronze Door of San Ranieri, was cast in 1180 by Pisano while he was working on the tower.
The San Ranieri Door depicts the main episodes of the life of Christ.
---------------------------------
In 1990, the Leaning Tower was closed, as there was a threat of collapse. It had been discovered that the Tower was sinking at the rate of 0.03 inches a year. Engineers undertook a 10-year strengthening project that decreased the lean by 17 inches to about 13.5 ft. The work was completed in May 2001 and reopened for the public in June 2001.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa may be leaning because of a blunder committed by 12th century engineers, but it is still one of the most famous structures known across the world and will always remain so.
------------------------------------------------
We had a great morning visiting Pisa, and now this afternoon will be spent touring the beautiful city of Florence!!!
Pisa, located in western Tuscany, is known throughout the world for its famous Leaning Tower (which you can see in the far distance in the picture below--our first sighting). However, there is so much more to Pisa than just the tower!
In the middle ages, Pisa was a regional superpower in her medieval heyday (11th, 12th and 13th centuries), rivaling Florence and Genoa. However, Pisa's harbor filled with silt, and the once bustling port became barely navigable. Pisa's glory days were over.
Beautiful flower shop on our walk from the bus parking lot to Pisa's Cathedral Square.
A street we walked across named Leonardo da vinci. Yes, we knew we were definitely in Italy!
Souvenir stalls--a sure thing that we are almost there!
Finally--This is the monumental gateway through the city wall (1562), known as Porta Santa Maria, to Cathedral Square and THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA!!!
Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo) is a wide, walled area at the heart of the city of Pisa, recognized as one of the main centers for medieval art in the world. Partly paved and partly grassed, it is dominated by four white marble religious buildings; the Duomo (cathedral), the Campanile (the cathedral's free standing bell tower--The Tower of Pisa), the Baptistery and the Camposanto (burial place for the upper class). It is otherwise known as the "Square of Miracles." In 1987 the whole square was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"Pisan style" architecture incorporates both the European and Eastern architectures, which Pisan merchants and sailors were exposed to during their travels.
Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that allowed the foundation to shift direction.
The tower's construction began in 1173 and went on for two centuries. The third floor was constructed in 1178 when it began to lean, and construction stopped. Four more floors were built in 1272 to compensate for the inclination, and then construction stopped again until 1372 when the last floor was built and the bell finally installed.
The tower has 296 steps with two fewer steps on the opposite-facing staircase. The tower leans at an angle of 3.97 degrees.
Okay! After finally viewing the Leaning Tower and other grand buildings for the first time (George and Laura have actually been here once before), we experimented with a popular tourist activity to pose for photographs pretending to "hold up" the leaning tower and preventing it from falling.
First, George tried holding the tower up with his Coke bottle--
--and then Doug tried with his hand, but while aiming my camera, I didn't even get his hand close to "touching the tower.")--
--and then Laura's and my pictures appeared that we were touching the tower,--
--but not with what looked like a great deal of effort, which it definitely would take to prevent the tower from falling.--
-------------------------------------------------
PISA'S BAPTISTRY--
Pisa's Baptistry is the largest baptistery in Italy.
The round building was begun in the 12th century. Construction was not finished until the 14th century when the gallery, top story and dome were added.
So, with the construction spanning over 200 years, the outside of the baptistery contains different architectural styles, depending on which style was popular at the time.
The statue of John the Baptist on top of the dome, makes it a few centimeters higher than the Leaning Tower.
What many people don't know is that the Baptistery (just like the cathedral and the tower) leans. It only leans around 0.6 degrees towards the cathedral, so it is hard to spot for the human eye.
The sculpted portal is flanked by two classical columns. A relief above the door is divided into two tiers. The lower one depicts several episodes in the life of St. John the Baptist,--
--while the upper one shows Christ between the Madonna and John the Baptist, flanked by angels and the evangelists.
Laura and I climbed the stairs high above the ground level up to the second floor to get a better view. We walked around what was evidently the women's gallery.
The magnificent dome is supported by four pillars and eight columns with carved capitals. While the exterior of the baptistery is highly decorative, the interior is surprisingly sparse! What was amazing was the vastness of the interior!
However, the baptistery is most known for is its perfect acoustics. A person can stand below the edge of the dome and sing a note for several seconds, and the sound will travel around and around the dome for many more seconds.
Doug stayed down below. You can see how small he looks in comparison to the extremely large interior.
The octagonal font (dates from 1246) has four small basins on the edges for immersing babies, whereas adults were also baptized by emersion in the large central basin. (You can see the circular basins in the picture above.)
A bronze sculpture of John the Baptist is at the center of the font.
Nearby the font is Pisano's white marble hexagonal pulpit. The pulpit's high reliefs depict scenes from the life of Christ and the middle level depicts personified Virtues and Prophets.--
--The great pulpit is supported by a central column on a pedestal with images and animals from ancient pagan religions and by six external columns. Three of the columns are set on the back of lions which symbolize the triumph of Christianity over pagan religions.
There were a few stained glass windows.
--------------------------------------------------
DUOMO--Cathedral--
Although this cathedral sits next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the building still dominates the square. The interior is spectacular with frescoes and detailed architecture, however we did not visit the inside.
The medieval Pisa Duomo (Cathedral) has a facade made of grey marble and white stone set with discs of colored marble.
Construction took place between 1064 and 1092.
A lot of the limestone and marble blocks for this cathedral were taken from older Roman buildings. The Roman gods were powerless against them because Christianity was now the strong religion.
Laura is standing in front of the main middle door of the cathedral that is decorated with a Half-moon area picturing Blessed Mary.
However, the usual entrance to the Duomo is this entrance, which faces the Leaning Tower. The original bronze Door of San Ranieri, was cast in 1180 by Pisano while he was working on the tower.
The San Ranieri Door depicts the main episodes of the life of Christ.
---------------------------------
In 1990, the Leaning Tower was closed, as there was a threat of collapse. It had been discovered that the Tower was sinking at the rate of 0.03 inches a year. Engineers undertook a 10-year strengthening project that decreased the lean by 17 inches to about 13.5 ft. The work was completed in May 2001 and reopened for the public in June 2001.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa may be leaning because of a blunder committed by 12th century engineers, but it is still one of the most famous structures known across the world and will always remain so.
------------------------------------------------
We had a great morning visiting Pisa, and now this afternoon will be spent touring the beautiful city of Florence!!!
2 comments:
So fun to see all we did at Pisa again. From your report, I learned that the Baptistry is, also, leaning which I didn't know. Plus, when we looked down from above at the font, I didn't even notice those little corner ones for babies. That was really interesting, too! You have certainly done your research, and it has made it even more interesting! Thanks again! It really was worth all your time, believe me! I love all I have learned!
Fun Tower of Pisa shots! You all could be tour guides in Italy for all the knowledge you've gained actually traveling there and doing these posts.:)
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