Sights not to be missed in Pise
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Sights not to be missed in Pise
The Cathedral
Chosen as a place suitable to welcome the city Cathedral was an open space outside the more ancient city walls.After the victorious expedition of Palermo in 1063 work began under the direction of Buscheto. A century later another great architect,Rainaldo, designe and directed the lengthening of the central and two side spans,completing the splendid facade. Bonanno Pisano produced the splendid doors,destroyed by fire in 1596, and of which remain only the extraordinary San Ranieri door. Inside, together with works of enormous artistic value from medieval era to the 19th century,pride of place falls to the Pulpit by Giovanni Pisano.
Baptistery
Whilst contruction works on the Cathedral proceeded with great fervour, in 1153 the foundations of the Baptistery were laid under the directio of Diotisalvi. Almost two centuries were necessary to raise and complete tha Baptismal church dedicated to St.John the Baptist, so much so that the foundation of the monument are in Romanesque style and the upper loggia in Gothic style. Inside Sa Giovanni we find the Pulpit of Nicola Pisano, a fundamental work that marked the passage from Romanesque ti Gothic. Next to the Leone Gate is the old Cemetery of the Hebrew Community of Pisa,one of the oldest in Italy. In the square, knows as “Piazza dei Miracoli” we found the Offices og the Pisan Primatial; next to the tower is the highly interesting Cathedral’s Museum.In the next square is the Pallazzo dell’Arcivescovato built on a design by Buontalenti. Situated in the centre of the grand arcaded cloister is the statue of Moses by Andrea Vaccà.
The Leaning Tower (belltower)
The foundation stone of the Belltowerwas laid during the Festival of the Assumption on 9 August 1173. Whereas it is possible to trace theauthors autogaphs in the other monuments in the square, the Belltower is not signed; a particulary curious note that adds to the centuries-old debate regarding its original author and on the first decade of the costruction of the Belltower; tha name of its first designers were however Rainaldo,Guglielmo and the same Bonanno Pisano. In 1185 the first subsidence of the foundations occurred and its subsequent incline that led to a century-long block in the construction works. The continuation was entrusted to giovanni di Simone who,in that same period, had worked on the church of San Francesco with its hazardous belltower. The great architect demonstrated extraordinary skills in limiting the consequences of the degree of incline and thus works continued until 1284,the date of the naval defeat at Meloria. The seventh and final ring on the Belltower,including the bell chamber,was designed and produced by Tommaso Pisano around the mid 14th century.
Opening hours
From November to February
10.00 - 17.00
9.00 - 18.00 from 25/12 to 7/1
Cathedral:
10.00 - 13.00 / 14.00 - 17.00
9.00 - 18.00 from 25/12 to 7/1
Baptistery, Monumental Cemetery, Opera Museum, Sinopie Museum:
10.00 - 17.00
9.00 - 18.00 from 25/12 to 7/1
Sinopie Museum: temporarily closed
March
Leaning Tower
9.00 - 18.00 (until 13/3) 9.00 - 19.00 (until 20/3) 8.30 - 20.30 (starting 21/03)
Cathedral:
10.00 - 18.00 (until 13/3) 10.00 - 19.00 (until 20/3) 10.00 - 20.00 (starting 21/3)
Baptistery, Monumental Cemetery, Opera Museum, Sinopie Museum:
9.00 - 18.00 (until 13/3) 9.00 - 19.00 (until 20/3) 8.00 - 20.00 (starting 21/03)
From April to September
Leaning Tower:8.30 - 20.30 (until 13/6 and from 05/09 until 30/09) 8.30 - 23.00 (from 17/6)
Cathedral:
10.00 - 20.00
Baptistery, Monumental Cemetery, Opera del Duomo Museum, Sinopie Museum:
8.00 - 20.00
Multimedia path:
Mon and Tue: 12.00-18.00
Thur-Sun: 10.00-13.00/13.30-16.30
Wed: check with personnel for service availability
October
9.00 - 19.00
Cathedral:
10.00 - 19.00
Baptistery, Monumental Cemetery, Opera Museum, Sinopie Museum:
9.00 - 19.00
Entrance allowed until 30 minutes before scheduled closing time.
On festive days the Cathedral will open at 13.00.
Ordinary tickets
On the spot euro 15
Purchase online euro 17
Cathedral*
euro 2
1 Entrance
Baptistery or Monumental Cemetery or Opera Museum or Sinopie Museum
euro 5
2 Entrances
Cathedral or Baptistery or Monumental Cemetery or Opera Museum or Sinopie Museum
euro 6
5 Entrances
Cathedral, Baptistery, Monumental Cemetery, Opera Museum, Sinopie Museum
euro 10
School groups
euro 1
1 Entrance
Baptistery or Monumental Cemetery or Opera Museum or Sinopie Museum
euro 2
2 Entrances
Cathedral or Baptistery or Monumental Cemetery or Opera Museum or Sinopie Museum
euro 3
5 Entrances
Cathedral, Baptistery, Monumental Cemetery, Opera Museum, Sinopie Museum
euro 5
*From 1 November to 1 March entrance to the Cathedral is free of charge.