Pisa

Pisa, a city which wrongly draws her reputation from the Leaning Tower: in history and art she is certainly not less rich than Florence and Siena, her influence and impact in the Mediterranean and the history of Italy is often underestimated.
Nowadays a beautiful and well kept city with an outstanding university, the absolutely unique square of Piazza dei Miracoli, flourishing trade, since the Middle Ages one of the leading centres in the Med area, sea and economic power, at all times “ghibbellini” and as such always colliding with the Roman popes. In the region of Tuscany she is now, next to Florence, the driving force, economically as well as culturally, under maritime aspects counterforce to Genova –leaving aside far away Venice in this comparison.

Part of the old city wall






Pisa once was built on very young sand which has lead to the strong inclination of the campanile (the bell-tower). It is, however, not just this tower that is leaning, almost all monumental buildings in Pisa show a slight inclination as well.

A new museum, the “Arsenale Medico”, exposes Roman galleys just recently discovered.

One of the most spectacular and well known events is the “Regatta di San Ranieri” in honour of Pisa’s patron saint: regattas on the Arno river and processions with brightly decorated ships – and, of course, all acting people in medieval costumes. On the eve of this event Pisa celebrates the “Luminaria di San Ranieri” – the whole city being brightly illuminated. At sunset thousands of torches and candles form chains of light along the Arno river : a truly impressive and charming view, just overwhelming in its atmosphere.