The Campo dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), or Piazza del Duomo if you’re not a tourist, is an easy 30 minute walk or 7 minute bus ride from the train station. The attractions in Pisa are concentrated within a few square blocks, easy to see and definitely worth a couple of hours of time. Nevertheless, Pisa is one of those places you almost feel like you have to visit, especially when you’re only 45 minutes away in Florence. Also, go in June if you want to attend the annual June 16 Luminara festival, when 10,000 candles are lit for the patron saint San Ranieri.There are many stores to shop for knickknacks but don't forget to nibble some of Pisa's famous biscottis.ĭon’t miss out on ET Prime stories! Get your daily dose of business updates on WhatsApp.It’s interesting to think that without a rather dramatic flaw in engineering, Pisa wouldn’t be nearly the tourist center that it is. While you wait, see Duomo di Pisa, with its great art works, the Battistero (Baptistry) and its round Romanesque dome, the Campo Santo Monumentale or cemetery, with a collection of Roman sarcophagi and medieval frescoes, the Museo del Opera del Duomo, the Piazza dei Cavalieri or town square with many historic buildings, the 14th century Palazzo dell'Orologio or clock palace, and more. Climb the Torre Pendente (Leaning Tower) to see the spectacular panoramic view, which needs a 15 Euro ticket and a 45 minutes wait. Head first to the Piazza dei Miracoli or Field of Miracles, a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are plenty of hotels to fit all budgets and there are also a lot of resorts as the region is also known for its health spas. However, the sad part is that one is not allowed to move out to the outer walkway to see how the world is tilted!After having had an eyeful of the structure, it was time to do the customary 'Look-I-am-holding-thefalling-tower' snapshot. The tower, which has undergone various experiments to keep it from tilting further, is open to public viewing in small groups at a time, where you can walk up through the winding staircases. Part of the foundation was also dug out to correct the tilt somewhat. Various methods were used include placing heaps of the heaviest metal- leadblocks as counterweighs to the tilting base. It looks really beautiful with white balustrades and the tower standing serenely on a blanket of freshly cropped grass.Īt one point experts believed it might just fall over which resulted in some serious restoration efforts through much of 1990s. The tilt itself is believed to be due to the characteristics of the sub-soil where the tower's foundation is laid.Īnd believe me, even without the tilt, the white round bell tower would have been a spectacular sight. The tower has seven heavy bells one for each scale of music. Over time the leaning tower has made it the most visited attraction for tourists, much more than the other two beautiful buildings at the Piazza del Duomo ��� the cathedral and the baptistry. It was supposed to be like any normal tall standing bell tower next to the 'duomo' or the cathedral. The tower's construction started in 1173 but was completed nearly 200 years later due to design glitches and intervening wars. Having tasted it in small boutiques across Rome as a regular dessert after my slice of pizza for three straight nights, this one was denser and came with the best ever flavour I have ever had.No doubt, whether in India or abroad, the best food is cooked in small nooks far away from the madness of larger joints.Īfter a 20 minute walk from the station I was there, staring at the white marble tower tiltig amazingly to what the guidebooks told me was the southwest direction. Midway I stopped at a gelateria which served an amazing triple cone of home-made gelato, or the Italian ice cream. The weather was perfect with just the right dollop of sunshine. Fully armed with a tripod and the old-world charm of a manual SLR camera I was off through the narrow streets of Pisa. Since most cities in Europe are as big as 2-3 adjacent colonies in an Indian city it was an easy walk to the Piazza del Duomo or the Cathedral Square (also known as Piazza dei Miracoli or Square of Miracles ) where the tower is located. I had about four hours before I caught the next train to Florence.
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