Visit the Leaning Tower
The tower has been leaning for a very long time, in fact in started to sink even before it was finished in the 14th century. Yet this construction error on a marble bell tower has granted that Pisa is almost universally recognised around the world, attracting tourists in huge numbers.While the architectural marvel of the city is unquestioned, the surrounding countryside is often neglected. Wrongly so, as there are countless opportunities for hiking, horse back riding, golfing, and water sports.However, the tower remains the most popular sight in town. Construction was time and again interrupted due to safety concerns when the building started to tilt. After centuries of further shifting the tower was closed in 1990 and a colossal effort to save it was begun. After removing soil from underneath the raised end it was reopened more than 10 years later and it was declared stable for the first time in its history.
Medival Architecture
The tower is part of the Piazza dei Miracoli, also called Piazza del Duomo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on which you will also find the magnificent cathedral (Duomo), the Composanto, a walled cemetery, and the Baptistery, all in white marble. The square is a textbook example of medieval Italian sacral architecture and offers a glimpse at the wealth and entitlement of the city during the Middle Ages.
Religious Festivals
During the summer various folk and religious festivals provide entertainment for the tourists. The patron saint day is celebrated with a particularly colourful feast and the river banks of the Arno are decorated with flowers and candles. Another great festival is Gioco del Ponte when men in historical costumes fight an epic battle over who can push a seven ton wagon across Ponte die Mezzo faster. The contestants are groups from the southern and northern districts respectively, and they have been doing this every year since the 14th century.
Pisa is the capital of the namesake province. Despite its international fame it is quite small, only 90,000 locals live in the city, half of them students. If you have a rental car you can easily visit other great sights in the area. Florence, for example, is only 80 km (57 mi) away. Florence and Pisa are linked through one of the greatest historical figures of all time: Galileo Galilei. The great physicist is buried in Florence’s Santa Croce Basilica, though he was born in Pisa in 1564. Legend has it he tested his gravity theory by dropping cannon balls off the Leaning Tower.
Seeking a break from the busy town you can find refuge in San Rossore environmental park just west of the city towards the sea. The beach is just as easily reached in your hired car; from the city centre it is a mere 8.5 km (6 mi) ride.
