Pisa Cathedral

History of Pisa Cathedral

In the 11th century Pisa was a rich maritime republic whose fleet traded across the Mediterranean. With that money the architect Buscheto began a new cathedral dedicated to the Virgin in 1063–1064. It was later lengthened and embellished, and the baptistery and bell tower, the famous leaning one, rose beside it.

The cathedral became the model of Pisan Romanesque: striped walls of white and grey marble, tiers of airy arcades on the façade and a dome over the crossing. The style was copied in the cathedrals of Lucca, Pistoia and even Sardinia. With the tower, baptistery and square it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Inside

Inside is a vast five-aisled hall with rows of granite columns, striped arches and a 17th-century gilded coffered ceiling bearing Medici arms. A great apse mosaic of Christ enthroned glows behind the altar, with a painted dome above the choir.

The chief treasure is Giovanni Pisano's marble pulpit (1302–1310), a hexagonal platform on columns and figures, covered in Bible reliefs and one of the peaks of Italian Gothic sculpture. In the nave hangs a bronze lamp called 'Galileo's lamp': legend says watching it swing set the scientist thinking about pendulums, though the lamp itself arrived slightly later.

What to see in the cathedral

• Giovanni Pisano's pulpit — a marble platform of reliefs.
• Bonanno's bronze doors — the San Ranieri portal facing the tower.
• The gilded ceiling — coffers and coats of arms.
• The apse mosaic — Christ enthroned.
• Galileo's lamp — the bronze lamp in the nave.
• The façade — four tiers of marble arcades.

Doors and façade

Visitors usually enter by the side San Ranieri portal, facing the Leaning Tower. Its 12th-century bronze doors were cast by Bonanno Pisano, the master also linked with the start of the tower. The panels show the life of Christ, simple and expressive, with palms and animals. The main façade doors were cast later, at the end of the 16th century.

Look at the façade from the lawn by the baptistery: four tiers of slender columns and arches, mosaics and marble inlay. White marble dazzles in the sun, so sunglasses help at midday.

The cathedral and the Field of Miracles

The cathedral is the heart of the Field of Miracles: the round baptistery in front, the leaning bell tower behind and a smooth green lawn all around that makes the white marble shine. The writer Gabriele D'Annunzio called it a 'meadow of miracles', and the name stuck.

For the whole view, stand on the lawn between the cathedral and the baptistery, where you see the façade, the dome and the tower on the right. At sunset the marble turns warm and honey-coloured and the crowds thin out. With time to spare, walk all the way round: the apse and side walls carry carved cornices, ancient inscribed slabs and even small animal sculptures.

Tips for your visit

The cathedral fits neatly after climbing the Leaning Tower: the ticket usually includes entry and the slots are close together. 30 to 40 minutes is enough. Tourist access is limited during Mass, and on Sunday mornings it's for worshippers only.

Photos without flash are allowed. For some quiet, come at opening or near closing when there are fewer groups. Afterwards, visit the baptistery to hear its famous echo.

Nearby and on the way

42

Piazza dei Miracoli

Pisa, Italy

2 h · Free · 3 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Piazza dei Miracoli

67

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Pisa, Italy

1 h · Climb paid · 3 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Leaning Tower of Pisa

40

Pisa Baptistery

Pisa, Italy

30 min · Paid · 3 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Pisa Baptistery

How to do it right

• Timed ticket bundled with the tower.
• Cover shoulders and knees.
• Enter opposite the tower.
• Fewer groups in the morning.

Questions