Leaning Tower of Pisa and more. ............................................................. Lean-N-Mean W/O
Written: Dec 04 '02 (Updated Oct 25 '03)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: This is a unique building and site!!
Cons: A bit touristy.
The Bottom Line: The architecture and beauty of these structures are unmatched.
|
|
|
| popsrocks's Full Review: Pisa |
My wife and I celebrated our thirtieth anniversary with a trip to Italy two summers ago. We visited Rome for a week and then rented a car and did a few days driving through Tuscany visiting the hill towns. We then returned our car in Florence and were there a couple of days. We did not have Pisa on our itinerary. After doing the quiet country side of southern Tuscany and then being immersed into busy Florence we decided on taking a break outside of the city.
We checked out the railroad schedule and off we went on a late afternoon. After arriving at the station we grabbed a very quick cab ride to the Pisa's Campo dei Miracoli, (Field of Miracles).
CAMPO die MIRACOLI
I was looking at buildings and restaurants on the way and never looked up. As I exited the cab I raised my head. I was not prepared for the total beauty and grandeur of the site.
Being late in the day the sun was low and it's rays lit up the tower and the facade of the Duomo. It was magnificent!!
I know I was expecting to see the leaning tower but I had it in my mind more as a curiosity rather than the grand piece of artwork it and the nearby structures are. I really was impressed by it's noble, and stately beauty.
THE LEANING TOWER
The Leaning Tower was the first building we approached. It was built as the Campanile,bell tower, for the Duomo. Once the structure was built to it's third level it started leaning. Up till recent years it was thought that the leaning aspect of the tower may have been in the original plans of the building, though written proof of this theory was never found. We now know that the problem originates at the foundation on which it is built. There is soft silt underneath. After many years of planning and trial and error the building has been secured and is now considered stable. A system of cables and under pinnings hold it securely.
The tower is now open for visitors. We were there too late in the day to get in line for the climb. I suppose I was not to be a Galileo and conduct gravitational experiments on the velocity of different mass falling from the top.
Needless to say this is definitely a place to have your camera. Yes, I did take the obligatory photo of my wife "holding up" the leaning tower.
THE DUOMO
Next to the Tower is the Duomo. It too is magnificent! It's construction started in the 1060's. The Tower was started one hundred ten years later. The Duomo has a facade that is quite different from the norm. It has four sections of open air-arches. These were glorious to look at in the low sun, against a perfect blue sky.
The interior has all been restored to it's former beauty after a fire in 1596. One of it's highlights is the carved pulpit done by Giovani Pisano. I thought it was interesting that the damage from the 1596 fire to the pulpit was not totally restored until 1926.
THE BAPTISTRY
The next building is the Baptistry. Again we have another splendid piece of architecture. It's a huge circular building. It too,like the other buildings, captured the light on it's cream coloured walls brilliantly. What struck me was the way these buildings were all within a huge open field. There were no other structures nearby. Just coming from Florence where everything is so closely built this was like a breath of fresh air. I spent much time walking around the outside trying to get the perfect photograph. Hey, with the subject matter and the low sun how could I miss getting it!
Across from the buildings is a line of open air shops selling the usual tourist trappings. I wasn't that annoyed with their presence. It kind of gave a counterpoint to the sedate beauty of the Tower, Duomo, and Baptistry.
We sat at a nearby restaurant for dinner. Sitting outside we had a perfect view of of the colours changing in the sky and in the shadows as they moved over the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
This is a late entry into the Sleeper54 write off as per the invitation on his profile page. This entry has about 660 words. For my style it is lean and mean. Thanks for the opportunity to join in.
Other Italy reviews by Popsrocks
Danieli Hotel
Five star Hotel we stayed at when in Venice.
http://www.epinions.com/content_75531980420
Rome
http://www.epinions.com/content_85570719364
Colosseum
http://www.epinions.com/content_82927390340
Spanish Steps
http://www.epinions.com/content_83140644489
The Pantheon
http://www.epinions.com/content_83714805380
Cavelleiri Hotel
a five star hotel in Rome
http://www.epinions.com/content_75315449476
Pisa
http://www.epinions.com/content_82621599364
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.