pisa - not only a tower

Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa.

Although Pisa is known worldwide for its Leaning Tower (the bell tower of the city's cathedral), the city of over 88,332 residents (around 200,000 with the metropolitan area) contains more than 20 other historic churches, several palaces and various bridges across the River Arno. The city is also home of the University of Pisa, which has a history going back to the 12th century.

Pisa began its life as a small settlement around 3,000 years ago; it is famous with its splendid and widely-known university and the legendary scientist Galileo Galilei. The historic center of Pisa is on the north bank of the River Arno between Genoa and Rome, surrounded by 12th-century walls..

Piazza del Duomo

Santa Maria della Spina

Piazza dei Cavalieri

While the Leaning Tower is the most famous image of the city, it is one of many works of art and architecture in the city's Piazza del Duomo, also known, since 20th century, as Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles)

Corso Italia, the High Street of Pisa

At the beginning of the Corso Italia is the little Church of San Domenico, part of a convent of Dominican nuns. The little church was built in the 14th century by Pietro Gambacorti for his daughter, the blessed Chiara.

In 1944 Pisa was attacked for 45 consecutive days: 57 bombings, over 3000 civilians killed and 50% of the buildings were destroyed.

Pisa was the birthplace of Galileo Galilei. It's still the seat of an archbishopric; it has become a light industrial centre and a railway hub.

Piazza dei Cavalieri is an amazing square, probably designed by Vasari. This is home to the most prestigious University in Italy: Scuola Normale Superiore. This square was also known as "Piazza delle 7 Vie" ("Square of the 7 streets") because of the many streets conflating to this square. This was the location of the old Roman Forum and heart of the political power during the Pisan Republic. The square was renovated in the 16th century by the Medici family after the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen was created.

The beautiful building behind the statue is called Palazzo della Carovana. It was built by Vasari in 1562 and it's home to the Scuola Normale Superiore created by Napoleon

The square was renovated in the 16th century by the Medici family after the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen was created. Cosimo I of the Medici family wanted this square to be wonderful and a symbol of strength and power. The statue in the middle (1596) represents him and it is located on the Fontana del Gobbo.

The Piazza dei Cavalieri that we see today is the harmonious and elegant result of the political, artistic and cultural strategies adopted by the Medici family when Tuscany was unified under Florentine power.

On15 March, 1562, Cosimo I de' Medici received the cloak of the Sacred Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen from the hands of the Archbishop of Pisa and in the name of Pope Pius IV.

This new order of knights, destined to combat the raids by Turks and “infidels” on the Mediterranean Sea, answered to a carefully thought-out plan to strengthen Medici power on as many fronts as possible.

The church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri.In the church there are several flags conquered during fights with pirates.

The building with the arch on the left is Palazzo dell'Orologio (the "Palace of the Clock“)

Torre dei Gualandi, on the right, is also know as Torre della fame ("Tower of hunger") or Tower of Count Ugolino della Gherardesca. The legend says that he was left to starve here with his children, whom he ate, as recounted in Dante's Divine Comedy. The building was built by the Vasari as hospital

It is the library of the Scuola Normale Superiore, but it is interesting especially because it was built connecting two medieval towers, Torre della Giustizia and Torre dei Gualandi.

The façade was decorated with frescoes by Giovanni Stefano Maruscelli and Filippo and Lorenzo Paladini. The cycle of frescoes celebrated the Medici's good government with the allegories of Peace, Earth, Abundance, Intelligence, Glory and Nations. Most frescoes have been lost.

Ulisse Dini (1845 –1918) was an Italian mathematician and politician, chief executive) of the Pisa university

Borgo Stretto: it is the most elegant street in Pisa. The most expensive shops and boutiques are here, under its arches. There are some nice bars too

the Gothic-Romanesque church of San Michele in Borgo (990)

When travelling towards Sicily, Garibaldi, the general who guided the unification of Italy in the XIX century stopped in Pisa and arrived here.

Piazza Garibaldi: this square is very popular. It is in the exact centre of the city, and in fact the bridge opposite the square is called Ponte di Mezzo, the "middle bridge". The statue in the square is of Garibaldi. The square is always very crowded and it is one of the gathering points in Pisa: from April to July it is packed with students going to the bars that open onto the square and sitting on the Lungarno walls.

Lungarno. Palazzo Gambacorti (1370-1392) nowadays it is the Town Hall of Pisa

The Agostini Palace, or Red Palace, built in the end of XIV century, is an example of civil gothic architecture in Tuscany

the ancient walls that surround the Piazza dei Miracoli

The pizza here is by far the best pizza

Sound: Lei (She) - Charles Aznavour E mi manchi tu - Andrea Bocelli Le tue parole - Andrea Bocelli

Text: InternetPictures: Daniela IacobArangement: Sanda Foişoreanu