Pisa Travel Guide
Introducing Pisa
The Piazza del Duomo, also known as the Square of Miracles, is the home of Pisa’s most famous image, The Leaning Tower, but it also is the home of the monumental cemetery, called Camposanto Monumentale, The Baptistry and the Cathedral. Pisa is filled with churches like the Church of St. Francis built in 1276, the Church of San Frediano and the Church of San Nicola, which were both built in the 11th century. The church of San Michele built in 990 is in the neighborhood of Borgo Stretto, which is a beautiful area where people stroll around the Lungamo, which are the streets that sit next to the Arno River. The Medici Palace, and Palazzo Reale, as well as the Palazzo Gambacorti, which is a Gothic building now used as the town hall, are just some of the palaces that make Pisa an architectural mecca. The museums in Pisa contain treasures from its rich history, which include paintings, frescos, sculptures and scientific instruments that native born Galileo used in his work. The University of Pisa is known for its outstanding academic programs, so students from around the world come to learn and discover. A new leaning tower of steel and glass designed by Benini is being built which gives the city a touch of modern architecture, but it also symbolizes antiquity.
Today, Pisa has a population of over 100,000 and is considered a Tuscan sister city, because Florence and Lucca have grown around it. Pisa has an excellent rail network even though it is still considered a small city. Pisa still focuses on the Leaning Tower by painstakingly removing soil from the north side, so the tower can have the same lean it had thirty years ago. It seems the tower could topple if steps are not taken to keep it standing. By moving the structure an inch, the tower is able to maintain its crooked and unique form.
Pisa in a Few Words
Pisa is one of those Italian cities that time forgot. Nestled in the hills of Tuscany, it offers visitors the opportunity to see and feel old Italy in modern times. It’s a city that understands the value of its history and still expresses itself with 15th century charm. Even though it is one of the oldest towns in Italy, it displays a young image thanks to the students. Pisa is an energetic city that’s filled with character and a culture that continues to develop a modern attitude using ancient wisdom.
