Italy, Pisa – Campo Santo and Other Gems
In the first part on Pisa, we saw three main sights situated one next to another. This time we are not going far either.
Campo Santo cemetery also known as Camposanto Monumentale was build around shiploads of earth from Golgotha which was brought here by Archbishop Ubald during the Fourth Crusade. Thus, Pisa's citizens could be burried in holy soil.
The construction of Campo Santo started in the mid-13th century. The compound resembles an ambitus. The floor of the cloister is made of graves of Pisan noblemen. Walls were covered with 14th and 15th century frescoes but a fire caused by bomb shelling in the WWII melted the lead roof and badly damaged the frescoes.
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is another sight situated close to Campo Santo. It has been considered one of the best museums in Italy. The museum holds invaluable items, among them amazing works of silversmiths, rich embroideries, tombs, statues, and paintings. Originaly decorating some of the buildings of the Campo dei Miracoli complex, many statues were brought inside the museum to be preserved for the future generations.
In ten minutes of walk you can get from Campo dei Miracoli to Piazza dei Cavalieri. Palazzo dei Cavailieri, is a palace situated on this square, constructed in the late 16th century by expanding its predecessor, Palazzo degli Anziani. Once the expansion was completed, the Order of St. Stephen were housed in the palace. Its facade is decorated with sgraffiti, coats of arms, and busts of Medici Grand Dukes. The entrance's grandiosity is emphasized by a double staircase. In the early 19th century, Emperor Napoleon founded . Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, an elite school of higher education which has operated here ever since.
Be sure to take a look at San Stefano church, also located on the square. Giorgio Vasari, the man who designed the church, was also one of the founders of the history of art. The church was constructed throughout the 17th century with a break lasting severak years. Notice two side wings. These originally were used by the Order of St. Stephen's knights as changing rooms where they put on their ceremonial robes for services. The casette ceiling inside contains many paintings depicting the history of the order. On the walls are flags captured during Pisa's war with the Turks.
GPS: 43°43'22.4"N 10°23'42.9"E
Text: Maxim Kucer
Photos: Wikipedia.org: Luca Aless, Luca Aless (2), gabriele bartolucci, Sailko, Luca Aless (3), Gianni Careddu, Lucarelli
Today we go to a region where you will love to stay for as long as possible.
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Lucca is a town of many lords in the past – be it Romans, Ostrogoths, Lombardians, Franks, or once powerful Florence, or Napoleon who made the town a gift to his sister.
Tuscany is magical land and is home to many amazing cities worth visiting.
Once Tibur, now Tivoli. The city of sixty thousand is located approximately 30 kilometers east of Rome in the Sabine hills. Emperor Augustus had once enjoyed this place. He sought shelter here from hot summer in Rome.
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Last time we mentioned that Ravenna is the city of mosaics. Nowhere else in the world are there so many mosaics except for in Istanbul. Also, we mentioned that music festivals take place here.
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We return to Florence, Italy, to see other interesting places.
Last week we introduced you the Renaissance town of Siena and mentioned Florence was its great competitor. To make a better idea of Florence (or Firenze if you will), we together hit its streets today.
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Cinque Terre is national park and listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You will fall in love with this Italian region. There are not monumental landmarks of antiquity or Middle-Ages as you may see in Rome, Bologna or Pisa. Yet still local atmosphere is splendid. Cinque Terre is an area consisting of five beautiful towns (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare). Not long ago (in the 1960s), tourists almost didn't know about them. Even if they did, it would be very difficult to reach them, i.e. only by boat. Today, you may travel there by car but don't expect your ride to be an easy one.
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Tourists often consider Bologna to be the most attractive city in Italia. One of the reasons for that is local great food which reached international fame. But before we get to it, let's take a look around.
You could have read about Italy, its regions and cities some of our articles. However, we have not written about one of the most famous Italian cities, Genoa.
The summer has arrived in our region with temperatures easily exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. The first week of June at a high temperature will cause many ideas for the upcoming holidays if possible spent at the sea.
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In the antiquity, Pisa was an important Roman port. However, the Arno River has silted up since. Now, there is a 10 kilometer gap between the city and the sea. It is very likely that you know Pisa as the home of the leaning tower. However, it is possible that you don't know that Campo Santo cemetary or local cathedral are other major sights around here.
Join us in our visit to the heart of Italy and enjoy all its amazing architectonic pieces. Unfort...