PISA

Tuscany, Italy                  Map of Italy                All photos by Hetty

2nd May 2015                   Map of Pisa                                  Introduction to this holiday

After a week in the Cinque Terre, we spent a day in Pisa before flying to Malta

We left our cases at the Pisa Centrale railway station, left luggage office (€4 per bag), and walked through the historic streets of Pisa:

Through Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, across the River Arno, to Piazza Dante

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The Campanile of San Nicola, is another leaning tower. This church has a model inside

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We reach the Piazza dei Miracoli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where there are hundreds of tourists

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The Leaning Tower is the cathedral’s campanile = bell tower. It was started in the 12th century and has leaned since before it was finished, as it is built on soft ground. It is about 60m high, and now has a slightly curve, due to attempts to correct the lean and stop it falling.

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You can climb the spiral steps inside the tower, but it costs €18 each (we didn’t)

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We paid €7 per person to visit the Baptistry + Camposanto Monumentale (cemetery) – the cathedral is free (but you still have to get a ticket).                                    Ticket information

The Baptistery (founded in the 12th century) also leans

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We did climb the steps in the wall of the Baptistery

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The Camposanto Monumentale is a massive cemetery, founded in 1277 for the old tombs that were scattered around the cathedral. It has been rebuilt after being badly damaged in WW2. At the end are part of the 12th century city walls

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There are Roman sarcophagi, one with a door left ajar,

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and sculptures

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The restored frescoes date from about 1360 to 1660

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There are some pictures here of how it looked inside in the 19th century

The Duomo = cathedral – started in the 11th centuryS1056381 copy

It has a marble façade with bronze doors

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On the way back to the railway station we saw:

Chiesa di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria

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Piazza dei Cavalieri

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Chiesa di Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri

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Galileo’s family lived here

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Chiesa San Michele in Borgo

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Piazza del Pozzetto and Garibaldi statue

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Pisa is a very interesting city to walk around

We walked back to the railway station, collected our bags and took the airport shuttle bus to the airport

Next – Malta

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