Pisa Square of Miracles Cathedral. Square of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli). Buildings on the Square of Miracles

Many tourists mistakenly believe that the main symbol of Pisa is the Leaning Tower. But the tower is only part of one big attraction - Piazza dei Miracoli, the Square of Miracles in Pisa.

History of occurrence

A small green oasis with four attractions is located in its historic district(Tuscany region). Who and when conceived such a grandiose construction, historians today do not undertake to say.

The time of birth of this attraction is attributed, rather, to the XI century.. In those years, namely in 1063, the construction of a grandiose cathedral began. These years are marked by successful maritime trade, war with neighboring territories and intensive architectural development. The treasury was then more than full, so the authorities did not skimp on the construction of new palaces and buildings, spending crazy money on their arrangement.

The first building on the green lawn was the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Cathedral (architect - Buscheto di Giovanni Giudice). The construction of the facade was carried out under the watchful eye of the architects Biduino and Guillermo.

In 1152, the Baptistery (baptismal) was erected, in 1173, work began on the construction of the Campanilla (bell tower), which, due to miscalculations in construction, gained worldwide fame.

The current view, which is admired daily by hundreds of tourists, the square received only in the middle of the XIX century. The Italian architect Alessandro Gherardesca, who is engaged in the restoration of the sights located here, slightly reconstructed the square itself.

In 1987, Piazza dei Miracoli itself, as well as all the sights located on it, were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as evidenced by a sign installed on the square (an inscription in three languages - Italian, English and French).

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Attractions

Its original name is Piazza de Duomo, or Cathedral Square. So named because it contains main cathedral Pisa. This name was in use until the Italian writer Gabriele D'Annuzzio, in his novel Maybe Yes, Maybe No, called the Cathedral Square "Meadow of Miracles" ("Square of Miracles").

Perhaps the reason lay in the location of especially significant buildings on open space Or maybe he was captivated by the very atmosphere of this place. One way or another, the name stuck right away., And locals(and after them - and the guests of the city) began to call this corner the Square of Miracles. The new name was also approved by the municipality, and was soon included on all maps and city guides.

Four architectural and historical masterpieces are located on the square., which are the most iconic sights of Pisa - the Cathedral of Pisa, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Campo Santo cemetery and the Baptistery.

Duomo Santa Maria Assunta. The majestic cathedral in the form of a traditional Latin cross is a triumph of the Romanesque style. The five-nave temple is decorated with four rows of arcades of gray stone and white marble, which give the impression of lace. One of the attractions of the Cathedral is the bronze lamp of Galileo.

Belfry of the Duomo (Leaning Tower). The world-famous leaning tower on the Cathedral Square of Miracles is nothing more than an ordinary bell tower. Due to architectural miscalculations, the ground turned out to be unstable and began to subside as the load on the construction site increased.
By the way, a curious legend is connected with this: when the bell tower was already built, the local duke did not like something about it and he refused to pay for the work of the architect Bonanno Pisano. Then he turned and ordered the tower: "follow me!". And the tower tilted slightly. The frightened duke immediately handed over the required amount to the architect, but the tower remained standing slightly at an angle.
Until 2013, Italian engineers carried out work to stop the roll of the bell tower and strengthen the soil, as a result of which the tower began to roll much less (today the deviation is 4.5 meters).
Tours of the tower last for 40 minutes (294 steps lead to the very top), and before the tour, visitors are asked to leave all bags in the storage room near the ticket office.
Baptistery- a representative of Italian Gothic, although it began to be built in the Romanesque style. The inside is decorated with sculptures by Niccolo and Giovanni Pisano. If you look closely, you can see that the baptistery building also has a slight slope.

("holy field"). The author of this building is Giovanni di Simon; the construction went on from 1278 to 1464. The legend says that the basis for the emergence of the cemetery was the earth brought from the sacred Golgotha as a result of one of the crusades.
The earth was placed in a capsule, which, in turn, was placed in a kind of tomb. This is where the rich people of Pisa found their last resting place., public figures and government officials. On some graves, bronze tablets with the names of the dead and the dates of their lives have been preserved.
Museo dei Opera- a museum dedicated to the history of the construction of the Duomo Santa Maria Asunta. Here are stored drawings and reproductions of the cathedral in different historical eras, reduced copies-layouts, documents relating to the cathedral.

Museum dei Sinopi- a museum of frescoes (more precisely - sketches of frescoes). This museum contains not only copies and reproductions of the frescoes of the Cathedral and the Baptistery, but also sketches and sketches of these frescoes - visitors have a wonderful opportunity to compare the author's idea with the final result of the painting.

Piazza dei Miracoli is a completely pedestrian area. Even the parking lots are at a distance from it.

There is a small souvenir market near the square., where those who wish can purchase souvenirs - badges, magnets depicting Pisan sights, as well as their reduced copies. In the neighborhood of the market, there are many street cafes where you can try Italian national dishes for a relatively low fee.

On our website we will talk about the majestic building of Milan -! You will learn the history of the construction of the oldest church in the city.

Read about Milan's main art gallery, the Pinacoteca di Brera. You will find a description of the works of famous Italian artists that are in this museum.

When traveling in Milan, do not forget about shopping! We advise you to definitely visit the famous Diffusione Tessile outlets, the address of which you will find here.

The Square of Miracles in Pisa got its name not by chance. After all, it is on it that the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa stands - a tower that has been falling for more than eight hundred years, but, despite this, everything also stands confidently on the ground and surprises with its beauty more and more new guests of the ancient Italian city.

The decision to build a cathedral in honor of the victory over the Saracens appeared in 1063. In those days, Pisa was rich trading city, and for the construction of the cathedral, they spared no funds, their basis was the gold mined in the war with the Saracen pirates. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta was the first in Italy, built on a cruciform plan.

In the period from 1152 to 1260, a second building appeared on the square - a baptistery (a place for baptism).

The first mention of Camposanto, a building located next to the cathedral, dates back to 1200. Then, according to the chronicles, Archbishop Ubaldo Lanfranchi, returning to his native Pisa from the holy lands of Jerusalem, brought with him the holy land specifically in order to build a covered cemetery at the cathedral (camposanto - campus sanctus - holy field). The construction itself stretched from 1278 to 1464. Camposanto is known for its fresco cycles of the 14th and 15th centuries, as well as for its once huge collection of ancient Roman sarcophagi and sculptures (now there are only 84 sarcophagi left).

by the very famous building The cathedral complex became the bell tower, which initially did not claim to be one of the most famous laurels in the world. Its construction began in 1173 on August 9, as evidenced by the foundation stone. 10 years after the start of construction, when the third floor of the tower was being erected, a slope was first noticed, which then was about 5 cm. Construction was stopped and continued in 1275. The end of construction dates back to 1284, when, despite the efforts of the architect, the angle of inclination nevertheless increased, and became equal to 90 centimeters. That did not prevent the installation of bells on the tower, which still ring to this day.

In 1910, the Italian writer and poet Gabriele d'Annunzio named the cathedral complex in Pisa the "Square of Miracles". Since then, more than a dozen years have passed, but the spectacle that opens on main square Pisa - a huge, majestic cathedral, lined with white marble, the sun's rays reflecting from its dome, a carpet of bright green grass, and a white marble tower standing at a clearly visible angle - a picture full of charm and harmony.

Pisa is a city of mystery. Historians are still arguing about its origin, art historians are trying to lift the veil over the secrets of the construction of world-famous architectural monuments. But so far, the Square of Miracles, where the Leaning Tower of Pisa is located, does not reveal all its secrets. One thing is clear: it is from this architectural ensemble, included back in 1987 in the List of objects world heritage UNESCO, and the Italian Renaissance began.

Pirates of the 10th century

IN X-XI centuries Pisa, then still having free access to Tyrrhenian Sea along the Arno River, was one of the richest cities in the Old World. Moreover, the origin of its wealth is associated not only with the profitable geographical location, but also with successful naval raids on Mediterranean cities. Roughly speaking, the Pisans traded in piracy, including the slave trade, and were not afraid of anything.

To get to the Square of Miracles, you have to walk a little.

Nothing but the eternal torments of hell, so eloquently described in the writings of the church fathers and the sermons of the priests that these "pictures" were constantly before the eyes of even the most inveterate atheists. And it doesn’t matter whether they were born by the inflamed imagination of a sinner or captured by unknown artists on the frescoes of the first Christian churches, those who had money had a real opportunity to repent and receive at least a temporary absolution of sins. It was enough to donate a certain amount in favor of the church or for the construction of the temple - and again go in search of adventure.

True, campaigns against cities under the control of the Gentiles, in that era, as you know, were quite a charitable deed. In 1063, after a particularly successful raid on Palermo, which had not yet been occupied by the Normans, the Pisans brought back several marble Corinthian columns from the city's main mosque. The columns immediately found a use: one of the poorest quarters on the outskirts of Pisa was completely demolished, and in its place - the very one, on the Square of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli) in 1064, the construction of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Assumption of Our Lady) began.

The construction of the cathedral continued for two centuries.

Thanks to numerous donations, the church, of course, had money for such a large-scale construction. The first organized crusades arrived here. One of its most active participants were just the Pisans, who subsequently received exclusive privileges for trade with the East for this.

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and other wonders in the square

The construction of the cathedral continued for two centuries. Its architecture bizarrely mixed several styles: Romanesque, Byzantine, Spanish and Arabic (Pisa successfully fought with the Moors). The pearl of the temple is a marble pulpit from the beginning of the 14th century with many sculptures by Giovanni Pisano. But these are no longer figures of people and animals frozen in unnatural poses, characteristic of many sculptural images of that time. In the artist's works, one can clearly see an orientation towards the best antique samples, and not towards the static Byzantine style that prevailed at that time. In other words, the sculptures decorating the pulpit can be attributed to the Proto-Renaissance.

Marble pulpit of the beginning of the XIV century - the pearl of the Cathedral

However, it is customary to begin the history of the Renaissance with the earlier works of Niccolò Pisano, Giovanni's father. To find them, it is enough to take just a few steps and enter Baptistery. Its construction began in 1152 and also continued for two centuries. Sculptures by Niccolò Pisano decorate the pulpit of the Baptistery. The plots of the compositions are traditional - "Christmas", "Adoration of the Magi", "Bringing to the Temple", but the figures are given an additional volume that is quite unconventional for that time, and their poses resemble the poses of ancient Roman statues.

But before looking at the sculptures, you should pay attention to the unique mosaic floor, the patterns of which are reminiscent of the ornaments in the Alhambra. The acoustics in the Baptistery are also unique. To demonstrate it, a chorister appears every hour in the room and takes three notes in a row, which merge into a single chord under the vaults of the building.

The pulpit of the Baptistery is decorated with sculptures by Niccolò Pisano

From their campaigns, the pious Pisans brought back not only looted treasures. From the Fourth Crusade, sacred land from Golgotha was brought to the city for the construction of a cemetery for noble Pisans. The opinions of historians differ here: according to some sources, it was only a small capsule, according to others - as many as 50 ships. Whatever it was, but Square of Miracles acquired another miracle - the Camposanto necropolis (translated from Italian - "holy field"), that is, literally located on holy land.

The cemetery is a closed cloister - a covered gallery framing a quadrangular courtyard. Under the arches of the gallery there are unique marble tombstones, each of which is a separate work of art, and sculptures of famous natives of the city, in particular, the famous mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci.

Under the arches of the Camposanto Gallery there are unique marble tombstones.

Camposanto- the only monument that suffered from the bombing of the Second World War, which is famous for the Square of Miracles. Frescoes suffered the most, and among them is the work of the famous Florentine artist and joker of the early 14th century, Buffalmacco. True, the plot of the fresco is rather gloomy - “The Triumph of Death”. At present, this work has been almost completely restored according to sketches and drawings made in the 19th century.

Leaning Tower of Pisa and how to find it

Either the curses of the poor fellows robbed by the Pisans reached the sky, or the Pisans themselves did not donate diligently enough for the construction of temples, but most of the medieval monuments of the city stand on their foundations, to put it mildly, not quite evenly. Including the Baptistery, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, and buildings outside the Miracles Square. The leader in the angle of inclination, of course, leaning tower of pisa.

However, there is a completely rationalistic explanation for this, confirmed by numerous studies and reconstructions. The fact is that the Arno River, which so treacherously changed its course in the middle of the 13th century, has a fairly extensive network of underground tributaries. The unsteadiness of the soil predetermined the instability of the foundations of buildings.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a cathedral bell tower, standing separately from the main temple

About what is and Where is the Leaning Tower of Pisa, BlogoItaliano already wrote in . But this monument is so interesting and popular that it is impossible not to mention it again when talking about Pisa. Moreover, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is practically a symbol of the city and one of business cards throughout Italy.

Its construction began in 1173, that is, almost immediately after the Baptistery and even before the appearance of the Camposanto cemetery in Piazza dei Miracola. leaning tower of pisa- this is not just one of the decorations of the square, but the cathedral bell tower. The tradition of building campaniles, that is, bell towers standing separately from the main temple, is generally one of the features of medieval Italian architecture. Such a whim is explained simply: when erecting the campaigns, the Italians were guided by the experience of Muslims who built a minaret separately from the mosque. The resonance from the voice of the muezzin, not to mention the Christian bell ringing, could, due to the imperfection of the then structures, bring down the temple at any moment.

How did the Leaning Tower of Pisa not fall completely because of the resonance? And this is another of the mysteries that the Square of Miracles is rich in. But, most likely, the matter is in the greater strength of the vertical structure, and not in problems with the foundation. After another restoration since 2001, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, along with other monuments in the Square of Miracles, is again open to the public.

SQUARE OF WONDERS OF THE CITY OF PISA

The ensemble of the Cathedral Square in the city of Pisa was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1987.

The Italian writer, poet, one of the leaders of the nationalist movement associated with fascist organizations, Gabriele d'Annunzio, in his novel "Forse che si forse che no" (1910) called this square the "Square of Miracles" Piazza dei Miracoli. It is often mistakenly called " The Field of Miracles "Campo dei Miracoli. The Field of Miracles is still located in the Land of Fools, and not in Pisa. It was on the field of miracles that Pinocchio (in Russian translation - Pinocchio) sowed gold coins to grow a money tree.

The main cathedral (Duomo) is an example of the so-called Romanesque style in architecture. The white marble cathedral of the 11th century - the first Italian church built according to a cruciform plan - impresses with its impressive size. The cathedral, whose construction was begun at the turn of the millennium in 1063, is decorated with four rows of elegant arcades. Inside the cathedral, you can admire the works of Giovanni Pisano (Pisano is a nickname), including the pulpit of his work, as well as examine the famous bronze lamp of Galileo.

The baptistery ("baptismal, baptismal") is one of the greatest creations of the Italian Gothic sculpture art. The cylindrical white marble Baptistery was built in 1152-1260. and also adorned with sculptures by the great Niccolò Pisano and his son and pupil Giovanni.

The Leaning Tower (Torre Pendente), built in 1173, is rightfully the symbol of the city. The height of the tower is 56 meters. The restoration and strengthening of the tower was completed in June 2001. The builders gave a guarantee famous building for 300 years. Its deviation from the vertical axis is already about 5 meters, architects and scientists do not lose hope to save this priceless work of art. Many projects were proposed, among which was the proposal to close the entire tower with a glass dome. But the project failed. Now the foundation of the tower is reinforced with concrete blocks. The tower fell due to the imperfection of its design, errors in the calculations of the architect and the instability of the soil under the foundation.

From left to right: the fortress wall, the covered cemetery of Camposanto, the baptistery.
A lion is seen at the corner of the fortress wall.

Etruscan lion mounted on the wall by order of the Medici. Behind the wall is a Jewish cemetery.

Camposanto is another attraction of the Square of Miracles. Dating back to 1277, the building is best known for its amazing mosaics and frescoes. One of them tells of a plague that devastated the entire city in 1348. Standing apart are such masterpieces as the "Old Testament" by Benozzo Gozzoli and the "Triumph of Death" of the XIV century. by an unknown master who are said to have inspired the composer Franz Liszt to create the piece "Dance of Death" for piano and orchestra.

An excerpt from the book "The Ring of Time" by Boris Tarakanov (http://poezd-prizrak.tarakanov.net)

Romanesque buildings of Pisa, which had a significant impact on the development of medieval architecture Central Italy, are distinguished by the openwork of the architectural decor (multi-tiered arcades), the originality of the polychrome decoration (black and white marble). The cathedral is called Santa Maria Assunta (Assumption Holy Mother of God)

CATHEDRAL

Pisa Cathedral can claim to be the most important Romanesque cathedral in the world. Its construction began in 1063 under the guidance of the architect Buscheto, who, after his death, was buried near the wall of the cathedral (his grave can still be seen today in the left arch of the facade). In 1118, Pope Gelasius II arrived in Pisa and personally consecrated the unfinished cathedral. Construction continued for two centuries. The cathedral is endowed with all the hallmarks of the Romanesque style of Pisa: blind arches, mosaics, sculpture. The doors on the facade were made in the 16th century: they replaced the original doors of the 12th century. the work of Bonanno (Bonanno Pisano), which was destroyed in a fire in 1595. All that remains of Bonanno's work is the Porta di San Ranieri, the door of the right transept. Among the attractions of the cathedral: the pulpit, decorated with carvings by Giovanni Pisano (1310). Opposite hangs a lamp, the so-called "lamp of Galileo". In the treasury is the famous statue of the work of Giovanni Pisano "Virgin Mary" (ivory carving, late 18th century). The architecture and interior of the cathedral show a strong influence of Byzantine and Arabic art. Like several other buildings in Pisa, the cathedral also tilted slightly.

At the very top on the roof is a column with a strange animal. It's hard to see in this photo.

It's the same, but bigger.

And this is the original, which is stored in the museum of the cathedral - "hippogriff", a winged horse with an eagle's beak, brought by Pisan soldiers from the crusade.

Iranian work of the 12th century.

Porta di San Ranieri (Saint Ranieri is the heavenly patron of Pisa. His relics are in the cathedral). The door was created by Bonanno around 1180 and was originally placed at the exit to the baptistery. After the fire, new doors were created with reliefs by students of the school of Giambologna (ie Francavilla, Mocchi, Tacca.), and the Bonnano door was moved to the bell tower.

	Resurrection (myrrh-bearing women and an angel)
Ascension	Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Christ washing the feet of the disciples	The Last Supper
Temptation	Transfiguration
Candlemas	Flight into Egypt
	Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
Massacre of the innocents	Baptism
Annunciation	Elizabeth's meeting future mother of John the Baptist, and Mary.
Christmas	Magi.
Apostles

Door detail.

Cathedral doors leading to the baptistery

Central door.

Lunette above the central door with the image of the Blessed Virgin by Giuseppe Modena da Lucca.
At the top right of the lunette you can read: "Rainaldus prudens operator".
The architect Rainaldo continued the construction of the cathedral.

Detail of the central door.

Left door (for entering).

Door detail.

Door detail - rhinoceros

Lunette over the left door, Saint Reparata.

The architect Busqueto is buried to the left of the left door.

Lunette above the right door depicting John the Baptist by Giuseppe di Modena da Lucca.

Detail of the facade of the cathedral.

Interior view of the cathedral.

Impressive granite Corinthian columns were removed from a mosque in the city of Palermo, captured by the Pisans from the Arabs in 1063.

This coffered ceiling was made by Florentine craftsmen after a fire in 1595.

The ceiling depicts the Medici coat of arms.

The ascension of the Virgin is depicted inside the dome. Artist Riminaldi.

Pulpit by Giovanni Pisano (1302-1310).

Survived during the fire. During the repair of the cathedral, it was dismantled and re-discovered and reassembled in 1926, but not assembled correctly. The shape of the pulpit is transitional from octagonal, as in earlier pulpits, to round.

Pulpit panel depicting "Nativity".

Pulpit panel depicting the "Crucifixion".

Pulpit caryatids.
On the right is the central pillar with figures symbolizing theological virtues.

Tomb of Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor.

Henry VII (about 1275-24.8.1313, Buonconvento, near Siena), king from 1308, emperor from 1312, the first of the Luxembourg dynasty. In 1310 he achieved the transfer of the Bohemian throne to his son John. In 1310 he invaded Italy, unsuccessfully trying to subjugate her empire again by force.

The foreign policy of the Republic of Pisa in Europe from the 11th century was based on an alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor. It was the emperor who guaranteed the independence and trade privileges of the republic and supported it against neighboring communes that were guided by the pope. With the intensification of the struggle between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines in Europe in the first half of the 13th century, Pisa became the main base of the Ghibelline party in Central Italy.
In 1312, Emperor Henry VII arrived in Pisa, causing an upsurge of patriotic forces in the republic. In 1313, the emperor died unexpectedly, it is believed that he was poisoned.

In the apse there is a magnificent mosaic depicting the Savior enthroned between St. John the Theologian and the Mother of God.
Perhaps Cimabue took part in painting the figure of Christ. It is only known for certain that he completed the head of St. John in 1302 and soon died here, in Pisa. The fire of 1595 did not damage the mosaic.

This lamp is called "Galileo's lamp". But the lamps that Galileo saw now hang in the inner chapel of Camposanto. They are smaller and simpler.
“In 1583, having 20 years of age, Galileo was in Pisa,” recalled a student of the great Italian Vincenzo Viviani, “where, following the advice of his father, he studied philosophy and medicine. Once, while in the cathedral of this city, he, with his characteristic curiosity and ingenuity, he decided to observe the movement of the chandelier, suspended from the very top, - whether the duration of its swings, both along large arcs, and along medium and small ones, would not be the same, for a long path, as he thought, should be balanced more speed... And while the chandelier was moving measuredly, he made a rough estimate - his usual expression - of how it moves back and forth, using the beats of his own pulse, as well as the tempo of music, in which he was already experienced with no small amount of benefit for yourself". Thus, a remarkable fact was discovered: the period of a pendulum's oscillation does not depend on its swing - the amplitude of oscillations.

Giovanni Pisano, 1306. John the Baptist, Madonna and Child and John the Evangelist.

Giovanni Pisano, 1298-1299. Madonna and Child, ivory.

KAMPANILLE, SAME BELFISH, SAME LEANING TOWER

The height of the tower is 55.9 meters from the ground on the lowest side and 56.7 meters on the highest side. Diameter - 15 m. The width of the walls at the base is 4 m, at the top - 2.5 m. Its weight is estimated at 14,700 tons. Now its slope is about 5.5 ° (deviation is about 4.5 m from the vertical). A staircase of 294 steps leads to the top of the tower.
An inscription found on the wall to the right of the front door contains the date of commencement of construction: A.D. MCLXXIV. CAMPANILE HOC FUIT FUNDATUM MENSE AUGUSTI (the tower was founded in August 1174). This date is documented in the chronicles of Bernardo Maragone (since the Pisan calendar, as it turned out, was one year ahead of the generally accepted one, 1173 should be considered the real date for the start of construction). Giorgio Vasari, an Italian architect, painter, art historian, linked the creation of the tower with Bonnano Pisano. This is still a tradition, not a confirmed fact.
Many historiographies more plausibly point to Diotisalvi - the architect of the baptistery - as the creator of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the name Diotisalvi occurs in documents from 1174, and above all by the rhythmic similarity between the structure of the baptistery and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The dynamic concept of space and the "double" structure based on the correlation between interior and exterior are similar in the two buildings.
Other historians give the name Biduino. The lower level artwork bears many similarities to Biduino's well-known work.
And yet, due to the lack of documents and information, it is impossible to name the architect of the Leaning Tower of Pisa with complete certainty. Another mystery that, perhaps in time, will be revealed.

When carrying out restoration work with north side a lead weight was laid along the wall. The tower was secured with steel cables. 41 wells were drilled under the foundation, from which 70 tons of soil were selected and the tower settled a little, reducing the slope. Then cement was pumped into the ground. The project to save the tower was led by Professor Michele Jamiolkowski of the Turin Polytechnic University. According to him, now it will stand for at least 3 hundred years. The aim of the €30 million project was not to straighten the structure, but to stabilize the angle of inclination. In 2001, the tower was reopened to the public.

Tower entrance.

Decorative decoration.

Internal staircase to the third tier.

Internal staircase to the sixth tier.

Belfry.

It is clearly seen that to the mother, on which the bell is rigidly fixed, two ocheps (poles) are attached to swing the bell. At the ends of the eyelet there are handles for bell ringers. In the West, the bell itself is swayed to ring, not its tongue.

Since the belfry was being completed already on the deviated tower,
then it was built vertically, but at an angle to the axis of the tower.

BAPTISTERY

The baptistery is a building, the main purpose of which has long been the performance of the sacrament of baptism.
In 1153, the Pisa Baptistery, the largest in Italy, was founded, the architect will know under the name Diotisalvi (Save, Lord). Construction was completed around 1278, and in the 14th century, the baptistery acquired some Gothic details, which changed its original appearance. The building is tilted 0.6 degrees towards the cathedral.
The Baptistery in Pisa delights with its harmony and thoughtfulness of the plot. In the lower part of the building there are sculptures personifying evil and vice, and above them are the figures of saints and prophets.

The figures of the saints are in three-lobed arches. The reliefs of the parapets recreate illustrations of the earthly life of Christ.
On the dome of the baptistery is a sculpture of John the Baptist. This sculpture is already the third one on the dome.
In terms of plan, the baptistery is a circle (diameter about 39 m), it is crowned with a hemispherical dome, which is pierced by a conical dome resting on the columns of the inner circle (diameter about 18 m). The height of the building is 54.86 m.
The acoustics of the Pisa Baptistery is considered one of the best among all religious buildings in Italy. To demonstrate, every new hour a museum worker comes out and “beats” three notes in a row with his voice. And they, wandering in the space of the baptistery, sound like an integral chord. Very simple, but very impressive. True, visitors are forbidden to sing and vote.

Pisano Niccolò (c. 1225 - 1278/1284). Pulpit, 1260, marble, height 465 cm

Niccolo Pisano was born in Apulia, in southern Italy. It is believed that he studied sculpture in the southern schools, where the spirit of the revival of the classical traditions of antiquity flourished. Without a doubt, Niccolo studied the sculptural decoration of late Roman and early Christian sarcophagi.
The pulpit of the Pisan Baptistery is the first authentic (signed) work of Niccolò Pisano. The hexagonal marble pulpit became an outstanding work of Renaissance sculpture and had a huge impact on its further development. Made of white, rose red and dark green marble, the pulpit is a whole architectural structure easily visible from all sides.

The pulpit rests on one central and six outer columns. Of the six outer columns, three rest on the backs of lions leaning over their captured prey, which in the symbolism of Romanesque art means the triumph of Christianity.

The base of the central column is decorated with grotesque images of human figures - a heretic, a sinner and an unbaptized one, as well as a vulture, a dog and a lion, holding a ram's and bull's head and an owl between their front paws.

The capitals of the corner columns are interconnected by arches; prophets and evangelists are carved on the corner fields formed by these arches, and allegorical figures of the six virtues (“Allegory of Strength”) are placed on the capitals themselves.

Allegory of Strength.

On five parapets (pulpit walls), separated by elegant small columns in the classical style, the sculptor depicted the story of the life and death of Christ; scenes follow one after another: the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, the Bringing to the Temple, the Crucifixion, the Last Judgment. In this work, Niccolo Pisano used traditional motifs and plots, but the pulpit belongs to a new era. The main achievement of the sculptor is that he managed to give volume and expressiveness to the forms, and each image has bodily power. Pisano's images are static, majestic and impassive. The Mother of God resembles the Roman goddess Juno, an allegory of Strength in the form of a naked athlete - the ancient hero Hercules.

Adoration of the Magi.

Christmas.

Bringing to the temple.

crucifixion.

The font was created by Guido Bigarelli da Como in 1246.
In the center of the font is a bronze sculpture of John the Baptist - this great work Italo Griselli.

Marble facing slabs are covered with the finest carvings.

The artist who created the design of the mosaic floor was clearly inspired by oriental motifs.

Fountain with drinking water near the tower.

CAMPOSANTO (monumental covered cemetery)

Cemetery of Camposanto - on the right (since 1278, architect G. di Simone).
It is located in the northern part of the square.

The cemetery is built around the earth from Calvary, brought in the 12th century. Archbishop of Pisa Ubaldo de "Lanfranchi from the crusade and poured out at this place.

Courtyard.

On July 27, 1944, incendiary bombs dropped by the Americans and the British hit the building. The roof caught fire, the lead melted and flowed. Because of this, the frescoes covering all the walls of the cemetery changed their color and were damaged. Restoration work has been going on since 1945 and now Camposanto looks almost like before the fire.

Gravestone of Count Francesco Algarotti (December 11, 1712–May 3, 1764),
philosopher and art critic.
He was friends with Voltaire, received the title of count from Frederick the Great.
The Prussian king ordered this monument.

Mathematician Fibonacci.

Leonardo Pisano, Fibonacci (born about 1170 - died after 1228) - the first major mathematician medieval Europe. Fibonacci's father was often in Algeria on business, and Leonardo learned Arabic there. Later he visited Egypt, Syria and Byzantium, Arabic books studied and systematized the achievements of ancient, Arabic and Indian mathematicians. According to the books of Fibonacci, Europeans taught mathematics almost until the time of Descartes (from them, in particular, they first learned about Indian / Arabic numerals and were convinced of the advantages of the decimal system). The main works of "Liber Abaci" (1202) are a treatise on arithmetic (Indian numerals, Fibonacci numbers) and algebra (up to and including quadratic equations), "Practica Geometriae" (1220), which are the first works containing tasks on the application of algebra to geometry.
Fibonacci numbers - each subsequent one is the sum of the two previous ones: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 ... In any self-organizing system, incl. in living organisms, this sequence can be found.
A fraction from two adjacent numbers of a series, i.e. 3/5, 5/8, 8/13 and so on, approximately equal to the "golden section". The division of the figure looks harmonious if the smaller part relates to the larger one, as most of to the whole figure.

In every country there are necessarily monuments that are symbols. It is absolutely impossible to imagine Italy without a falling tower in the city of Pisa.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is part of a grandiose complex that was built in the Middle Ages with the money of the local nobility a little further from the city center.

The architectural ensemble huge area includes the majestic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Ascension, the baptistery, the bell tower and the cemetery.

What prompted the then Pisan aristocrats to begin this grandiose construction remains a mystery ...

The Italian writer Gabriele d'Annunzio, in his novel Forse che si forse che no, published in 1910, called cathedral square Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. The name stuck, and now no one calls the Cathedral Square in Pisa otherwise. Sometimes you can hear the name - Field of Miracles (Campo dei Miracoli).

First, in the 11th century, the huge Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta was built on the square. The building was the first temple in Italy built according to a cruciform plan.

Then the huge baptistery Battistero di San Giovanni was built, which was built for a very long time - from 1152 to 1260. It turned out to be some completely unearthly object ...

The marble baptistery is an example of a mixture of styles. They began to build it according to a project in the Romanesque style, and completed it with Gothic elements.

Both the cathedral and the baptistery keep inside the beautiful creations of the masters Giovanni and Niccolo Pisano, full of allegorical meanings, and there is also the famous chandelier - the lamp of Galileo. But, alas, we did not manage to visit inside - probably, the buildings are open only in the morning hours, and we arrived at the Square of Miracles at sunset. So, we will strive to return to Pisa ...

In the center of attention of all located on the Square of Miracles, of course, the famous leaning tower.

An elegant bell tower (campanile) was built in 1173 a little further from the cathedral. The architecture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is uncharacteristic of Catholic buildings; oriental motifs can be traced in it. Some experts believe that it even resembles a minaret. The height of the bell tower is 56 meters. Due to errors in the calculations of the architects and the instability of the ground, the tower tilted and continues to fall. Problems with the verticality of the bell tower began already during construction, which therefore stretched for 200 years. At this point, the deviation of the Leaning Tower of Pisa from the vertical axis is already about 5 degrees.

In 2001, complex work was carried out to restore and strengthen the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which should stop the process of falling.

The skewed foundation of the bell tower is today reinforced with powerful concrete blocks. The tower was recognized as stable, the builders gave a guarantee for 300 years. Although some pessimists argue that it can collapse at any moment. Today you can climb the tower by paying 15 euros for this pleasure.

There is no reason not to trust the competent commission that allowed tourists to visit the tower, but the construction makes such a fragile and unstable impression that we did not have the desire to climb the bell tower along 294 warped stone steps. Inside, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is also very interesting - many galleries are decorated with carved ornaments. In the center of the tower there is an open hall, on the walls of which the inhabitants of the sea are depicted. 3 twisted stairs lead to the belfry with 7 bells, each of which is tuned to a specific note. The heaviest bell of the Leaning Tower of Pisa weighs about 3.5 tons.

The leaning tower is overgrown with rumors and legends. One of the most famous tells how the architect (possibly Bonanno Pisano) had a falling out with the duke after the construction was completed, who did not like something, and he refused to pay for the work. Then Pisano went up to the bell tower, stroked the third column to the right of the entrance, and ordered the tower to follow him. The tower tilted. The frightened duke immediately paid, but the tower remained tilted forever.

Scientists, however, confirm that the soils in these places are really weak and could cause tilting. In Pisa, there are enough inclined towers and buildings (albeit not so much) in addition to the well-known bell tower.

We photographed such skewed buildings on the waterfront opposite the San Martino quarter.

On the lawn in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa (by the way, there are signs everywhere asking you not to walk on it) photographers from all over the world are practicing creating photo-toads that literally litter the entire Internet.

We also took a couple of photos depicting the support of the tower with the last of our strength, but decided to keep them in our personal archive.

Another local attraction is a small fountain with angels.

We waited for the onset of darkness, strolling through the evening Pisa. And they did not regret that they returned again to the Square of Miracles. All structures were illuminated, which made them look even more huge and mysterious.

In the northern part of the Square of Miracles. behind the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta there is a monumental covered structure - the Camposanto cemetery. Legend has it that it was erected on earth brought from Mount Golgotha in the 12th century. According to the same legend, the bodies buried in this land decompose in a day.

The cemetery building was built in 1464, it took more than 200 years to build it. The Camposanto cemetery is famous for its sculptures, mosaics and frescoes. There are also 3 chapels in the cemetery. We didn’t go that way, after all, the peace of the aristocrats buried there is worth respecting ...

Since 1987, Pisa's unique Piazza dei Miracoli has been protected by UNESCO.

Some kind of bewitching place, completely different from everything I have seen before ... There is still something unearthly in these structures ...