Pisa is a city in the central Italian province of Tuscany. It lies along the Arno River, not far from the river’s mouth in the Ligurian Sea. This city is not only home to around 99.000 inhabitants, it is also home to the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Our Visit to Pisa
We visited Pisa in 2018 on our second visit to Italy that year. This was a trip that began in Pisa and ended in Bergamo, with visits to both Florence and Milan there in between.
A Short History
It is likely that Pisa as a city predated the Roman Empire and that this was once a part of the Etruscan civilization. The city became a Roman colony in the year 180 BC. Pisa played an important role in the empire’s maritime endeavors. Its naval influence remained for centuries while the city in parallel developed as an important trading center.
Looking at the 11th century Pisa became one of Italy’s maritime republics. Pisa has since been considered to be one of the main four historical maritime republics, sharing this with Amalfi, Genoa and Venice. The other less-known maritime republics were the cities of Ancona, Gaeta, Noli, and Ragusa. The maritime republics were autonomous cities and the coat of arms of the main four is today shown on the Italian Navy’s coat of arms.
Pisa continued to play its role in the maritime and naval politics of the Western Mediterranean during the Middle Ages. The city gained both influence and riches in the many conflicts and the money was used to finance many of the grandeur historical buildings still standing today. Pisa’s golden age came to an end in the year 1284. This was the year when Pisa’s fleet was defeated by the Genoese. The following centuries would see many new conflicts, but also many new rulers of Pisa.
Things to Do and See
Pisa is a historic city with many sights and places to explore. There are not only the Leaning Tower to see. There is the scenic views of the Arno River, the many small narrow streets and of course, the many decorative buildings. Walking along the streets is an experience in itself and once you want to do some people-watching just head to the Leaning Tower to see all the other tourists doing weird poses. Once it rains or you want to escape the Italian sunshine, there are also plenty of museums within the city.
Torre di Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is without question the most famous sight in the city. This tower has a height of almost 56 meters and its construction began already in 1173. It is known for its tilt, which has been reduced in attempts to save the tower. The tower might be a sight, but seeing the many tourists taking photos and videos for social media might in some cases be equally entertaining. It is a part of the impressive square known as Piazza dei Miracoli.
Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta
Pisa Cathedral is right next to the leaning tower and is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. This Roman Catholic cathedral was completed in the year 1092 and was actually built outside of the city walls to show that Pisa was not afraid of attacks. It also lies at the main square of Pisa known as Piazza dei Miracoli.
Battistero di San Giovanni
The Pisa Baptistery is a structure separated from the cathedral and is the largest of its kind in Italy. It has a height of almost 55 meters and was completed in the year 1363. The baptistery is also a part of the Piazza dei Miracoli.
Piazza dei Cavalieri
Piazza dei Cavalieri is considered to the the second square of the city after the Piazza dei Miracoli. The square has earlier been the headquarter of the Knights of Saint Stephen, a military order founded in 1561. The square is today home to some of the city’s educational centers, with the impressive Palazzo della Carovana housing the main part of the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, a part of the city’s university.
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II is one of the larger squares and have a large statue of Vittorio Emanuele II at its center. Vittorio Emanuele II was the king of Sardinia and later the first king of the united modern-day Italy.
How to Get to Pisa
- Flights: Pisa International Airport (PSA) is at a walking distance from the city center.
- Car: Pisa lies at the intersection of several larger roads. The most notisable of these are the E80 and the A11.
- Train: Pisa Centrale has trains to and from several regional and domestic destinations. To mention a few destionations there are trains to Florence, La Spezia, Livorno, Lucca, and Sestri Levante.
The driving distance from 5 major Italian cities, according to Google Maps:
- Rome – 329 kilometers (3 h 40 min)
- Milan – 282 kilometers (3 h)
- Venice – 321 kilometers (3 h 20 min)
- Naples – 554 kilometers (5 h 10 min)
- Palermo – 1257 kilometers (12 h 20 min)
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