Pisa

Pisa is another Tuscan city located downriver from Florence near the sea. This city dates back to at least the Etruscans, but its importance is really tied to it's maritime industry, not least during the middle ages when its fleet was involved in numerous battles. Many of these battles occurred as part of the great rivalry with Genoa. Eventually they were defeated and later were taken over by Florence.
Pisa is probably best known for its iconic tower in the 1st picture. This is the bell tower or campanile for the cathedral. The 2nd picture is some of the bells atop the tower to prove I actually did climb up. The 3rd picture looks down on the cathedral from the top of the tower. The baptistry is to the rear and the Camposanto is the arcaded area to the right.
The 4th picture is the cathedral facade. The 5th picture looks along the nave of the cathedral, and the 6th picture is a set of monumental bronze doors, now in the museum with a replica in place at the cathedral. These originals by Bonanno date to the 12th century and depict scenes from the lives of Jesus and Mary.
The 7th picture is taken inside the baptistry, It's the largest in Italy with it's octagonal font. I don't recall seeing a raised and carved pulpit in a baptistry before this one. 2 tidbits: The dome is acoustically perfect; and the baptistry leans, too, but not as much as the tower.
The other significant feature at the cathedral plaza is the Camposanto. This is a large cloister that has many large frescoes on the walls and many burials beneath the marble floor. This is a long structure in a rectangle around a central area. The 9th picture looks down one of the sides showing the frescoes and marble floor. The last picture in the central yard area.Read more