While "Holly and Zack" were here we also took a day trip to Pisa to see one of the world's icons - the famous Leaning Tower.
Pisa used to have great significance as a port city - its naval power ensured dominance in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea back in the day.
Alas - Pisa's port silted up (see what happens when you don't control erosion?), and Pisa eventually lost its port, as well as its trading power.
But in its heyday, Pisa's riches financed the construction of a beautiful Cathedral (construction begun in 1064), Baptistry (begun in 1152) and the famous Tower (which was begun in 1173 and was intended to be the Cathedral's bell tower).
The tower had already started to lean in 1274 when the third story was added. The bell tower is currently over 17 feet off vertical, but was stabilized enough in the 1990's that people can once again tour the structure.
As we approached the Piazza dei Miracoli (the Miracle Square), I was reminded of the Tower of Babel described in Genesis - all sorts of languages being spoken, the constant babble of humanity surrounding me.
Even in the Baptistry, where a large sign demanded "SILENCE", people could not stop talking. However every 30 minutes, the guards close the doors, shush the visitors in the Baptistry and demonstrate the incredible acoustics of the building. No microphones needed here as ONE person vocalizes pitches - the tones amplified, spinning and forming chords as they reverberate inside the circle of marble.
Click to hear a sample of the remarkable acoustics
As prevalent as the babble are people assuming all kinds of weird poses as their friends or family take photos of them, using perspective to create the illusion that they are holding up the tower, pushing the tower, pulling the tower ..... not to mention handstands, cartwheels and other assorted contortions ....... the people-watching here is as entertaining as the monuments.
Pisa is an easy day-trip from Florence via train, and you can walk to the Cathedral complex from the train station. If you want to climb the tower, you'll need to plan on getting there early because they allow a fixed number of people in the tower at a time for 30-minute tours . . . the cost is €15.00 (almost $20).
This photo was taken the day that Holly and Zack took off to visit Cinque Terre on the coast of northwest Italy.
Zack, far left
Gabriele, next to Zack
Holly, in the middle
and the Untourists......
Bafinna, the kitty, is the little blob in the lower left corner
So glad you finally made it to Pisa. Bonnie and I enjoyed our day there. You can walk from the train station but it's easier if you take the most direct walking route. We didn't and we were tired! When we finally arrived, we lay flat on the ground, ate pastries and looked up at the tower.
ReplyDeletenot sure what the most direct walking route is, but we got there pretty quickly and weren't too tired. HOWEVER on the way back david was just sure that we needed to go a different way and we got lost and had to backtrack and ...... i'm not going to say any more :)
ReplyDeletedid y'all see that itty bitty church by the river?
bella gente in una bella città
ReplyDeleteTorre Pendente è molto impressionante
ReplyDeleteCiao Principessa Pamela! Sì - the tower is amazing and the people are amusing :)
ReplyDeletedid you listen to the Baptistry video?
I haven't forgotten your request about the website for the Podere del Colle. I think my next post will be about that and I will include the link - OK?
I lost a whole week's worth of photos because I couldn't figure out how to download them to this Italian Mac - erased every photo off my card. Cried like a baby. So I'm a little skittish about trying again with the last week or so of photos we've taken - ho paura :-[