Pisa e della Toscana

Tuscany is considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and is home to some of the most famous people in arts and science including Dante, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Puccini, Amerigo Vespucci.

Toscana (Tuscany), known for olive oil and chianti, is in central Italy with a coastline on the Ligurian Sea. Never heard of the Ligurian Sea?

The Ligurian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea between the Italian Riviera (that little green area on the shore that includes Genoa), and Tuscany and the island of Corsica (that little grey island south of Genoa).

We flew into Galilei airport.

Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642) was from Toscana. Born in Pisa, he moved to Florence as a child. He returned to Pisa to attend the University of Pisa.

The Tuscan hills as we descended.

The coastline of the Ligurian Sea.

Our first stop in the Tuscany region was Pisa, population 88,000.

Piazza dei Miracoli is the main attraction in Pisa. It's a walled, pedestrian area and holds the Pisa Cathedral, Baptistry, Camposanto, and of course, the Campanile.

The round building in front is the Baptistry.

Begun in 1152, it is still used today as a baptistry. Our appointment to visit was to be before 4:00 because there was a baptism to take place. This Baptistry is the largest in the world and the acoustics are said to be perfect.

This is Pisa Cathedral.

I took this picture from the top of the Baptistery.

The first stone of Pisa Cathedral was laid in 1093.

It's hard to believe that is 4 centuries before Columbus spotted land from the Pinta.

This is the Camposanto Monumentale (monumental cemetery) translated as "holy field".

It is said to have been built on sacred soil brought back to Pisa from the Fourth Crusade in the 12th century. All those rectangles on the floor are graves.

Time for Italian wine and cheese.

Delizioso.

My next stop was here.

I just hoped this wasn't actually the wine cellar.

This is the Campanile or bell tower for the Pisa Cathedral.

Of course, you and I know it as the leaning tower of Pisa.

Construction of the tower began in 1173.

Five years after construction began, the poor foundation and weak subsoil caused the building to lean. It was left for the next 100 years and the soil stabilized.

In 1272, construction resumed with one side built taller than the other. By the time it was completed, 177 years from start to finish, the lean was 1 degree (2.5 feet). In 1990, the lean was 5.5 degrees and in 2010 it was reduced to 4 degrees.

As we braved the climb to the top - all 296 steps - the lean was very obvious.

The view from the top.

We decided to forego the bus and walk back to the train station and we were so glad we did.

This is the Fiume (River) Arno that runs through Pisa.

A typical street in Pisa.

Most buildings are painted this color of gold. I love it.

The only reason we went to Pisa is because Ryanair doesn't fly into Florence (our next stop). We felt lucky to have been routed here first.