We're going to Italy! Attractions in Pisa

At 12 kilometers from the sea, next to the bend of the river Arno, is a small town of Pisa, which belongs to the main attractions of Italy. Even in the Middle Ages, this city was the capital of one of the sea republics and protected the Italian coast from the Saracens and Arabs. Moreover, Pisa, united with other maritime republics, won the majority of the Mediterranean islands from the Arabs. Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria were subjugated to the inhabitants of this city. And now it is a real museum of European importance, and many tourists visit the city of Pisa. A map with sights is their guiding thread to the world of medieval architecture.

World fame Pisa has acquired in the field of art, culture and university science. And not the last role was played here by the native inhabitant of the city, the famous Italian astronomer, physicist and mechanic Galileo Galilei. By the way, near the city there is an international airport bearing his name. And the main attractions of Pisa, which are masterpieces of architecture and art, are on the "Field of Miracles". This is the name of the square, located in the north-west of the old Pisa, next to the medieval fortress walls. Here on the big green meadow there is a bell tower, which everyone knows as the "Falling Tower", a cathedral, a baptistery and a cemetery, created in the middle of the 11th century.

Built a cathedral in Pisa in 1064. He became a model for imitation, similar cathedrals began to erect in other cities of the center of Italy. Moreover, the style in which it was performed was later called "Pisano-Romance". And this construction contributed to the fact that in Pisa a famous school of sculptors was born, founded by Giovanni Pisano and Niccolo. Many of Pisa's attractions are now in this cathedral. This is, for example, the portal of San Ranieri, in former times served as the main entrance to it. Built by his master from Pisa Bonanno Pisano. The basis of this portal is 24 bronze panels, on which scenes from the New Testament are painted .

Behind the cathedral is a "leaning tower", without which the sights of Pisa would not have been so famous. After all, it was her slanting position that made this bell tower world famous. At first it was planned to build it at a height of 70 meters, but because of the draft, the builders stopped at 55. It was started by Bonanno Pisano in 1173, and finished the construction of Tommaso Pisano in the late 14th century. The "falling tower" consists of six tiers of loggias with columns. They encircle the building of a cylindrical shape and rest on a marble base, in the form of deaf arches, executed in a purely Pisa style. And the oblique position of this tower was used by Galileo Galilei, having conducted his experiments here to study the earth's gravity.

Another tourist is recommended to inspect the cemetery of the city of Pisa, whose sights have a gothic look. It began to build Giovanni di Simone back in 1278. According to his idea, it was supposed that it would be used as a burial vault for influential and famous residents of the city. This cemetery is enclosed by a marble wall, which has deaf arches. But in one of them there are two portals. And inside the cemetery is a rectangular square, and on its inner side there is a portico with arches. The walls of this portico depict scenes from the Old Testament, authored by Bezonno Gozzoli. Also here are the works of Spinello Arettino and Tadeo Gaddi.

Next attraction of Pisa is the baptistery. This is a round building, 35.5 meters in diameter, made in Romanesque style and decorated with loggias and arcades. Crowned by his remarkable pyramidal cupola. The construction of the baptistery began in 1153. It is here that the faculty of Nicola Pisano is kept, the statues made by him, and the magnificent octagonal font, which was inlaid with multicolored marble. In principle, these attractions Pisa can be inspected in a day, but the impressions certainly will last for a lifetime.