General Information
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The city of Pisa, situated in Italy's Tuscany Region about 80
kilometres from Florence, is a beautiful city with a long and eventful history.
It was an important naval base for the Romans and in the middle ages remained
an important port with its own navy, during which time it gained control of
the islands of Corsica, Sicily and Sardinia in addition to controlling all
the Tuscan coast from Portovenere to Civitavecchia.
During the Renaissance, Pisa belonged to the Ghibelline faction, which supported
the Holy Roman emperors against the papacy. The opposing faction known as
the Guelphs were led by Florence. Pisa fell twice to Florence, first in 1494
and then again in 1509 after having temporarily regained its freedom.
Today, the population of the city is approaching 100,000 people. It is no
longer located on the sea but the magic of its nautical past is captured within
its historic buildings and monuments. The principal landmarks of Pisa are
grouped in the area of the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) and include
the cathedral, the baptistery, and the famous leaning tower of Pisa.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is undoubtedly the most famous attraction in Pisa
. The tower stands some 180 feet high and leans precariously with an overhang
of about 16 feet (5 metres). Building of the tower began in 1173 and, with
two long periods of inaction, continued for some 200 years.
The National Museum of San Matteo, is housed in the ancient convent of the
nuns of San Matteo. It has collections of paintings and sculpture spanning
the 12th- to the 18th- century.
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo houses a significant collection of works
relating to the Romanesque Cathedral, whihch was built at the beginning of
the 12th century.
The Piazza dei Cavalieri is the medieval central square that was rebuilt by Vasari in the 16th century by the order of Cosimo I. The square is surrounded by historic buildings that house some of Pisa's important institutions.