Italy 2011 part II - Pisa

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Once you've seen the tower there isn't much more to do

From Bologna I took a one day trip to Pisa. One day in Pisa was quite enough for me. Pisa is just like Bologna an old historical city but unlike Bologna in Pisa there isn't much to see. There are many old palaces around but most of them are closed or at least not open for public.

Pisa has the famous leaning tower of course and next to it there is a cathedral. Those two occupied me for a few hours. For very good reasons I can add. Both are wonderful examples of the greatness of Italian art and at the same time a good witness to the fact that Italians aren't the best engineers in the world.

But once you have seen the tower and the church there really isn't much else to see. I spent some time wondering around town looking for other things to see and to do but had to give up after a while. According to the guidebook there was supposed to be a museum called Museum of the Ancient ships of Pisa in town. I never found it and when I asked the tourist information about it I learnt that they were lacking funds to open it.

The erection of The Leaning Tower of Pisa started in the 12th century. Of course the tower was never intended to lean. The soil underneath the tower is too weak to support the weight of the tower. The engineers who built the tower didn't know that so they designed the foundation too small. Already before the tower was finished it started to tilt to one side. The engineers noticed that and started to compensate for the tilt by building the tower straight up from every new level they started. Consequently the tower actually has a bit of a bent shape to it, a little bit like a banana. This is very obvious if you look at the top level of the tower.

In the beginning I made a rude comment about Italians lacking construction skills. After having seen a few Ferraris and Lamborghinis it is obvious that the Italian engineers have learnt bits and pieces since the 12th century.

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Photos

Leaning Tower of Pisa
It is not supposed to lean. But luckily enough for the people of Pisa it does. If it hadn't it wouldn't have been much of a tourist attraction

Leaning Tower of Pisa
The leaning of the tower is almost 4 degrees

Leaning Tower of Pisa
It is one of those placed where have to have a photo of yourself, isn't it? How come I feel just like a Japanese every time I do this?

Leaning Tower of Pisa
The engineers noticed the tilt and started to build straight up from every new level. This is very obvious if you look at the top level of the tower.

The Cathedral
The Cathedral from the top of the leaning tower

The Cathedral
Detail of the cathedral. The cathedral was built before the tower. But due to a mistake when the tower was built it is much more well known than its larger neighbour

The Baptistery
The Baptistery is located just outside the cathedral

Side isle of the cathedral
One of the side isles of the cathedral

Side isle of the cathedral
The other side isle of the cathedral

The pulpit
The pulpit had some unexpected features. This bloke is totally nude. That's called indecent exposure

The pulpit
The pulpit had some unexpected features. This woman is breastfeeding

The pulpit
The pulpit had some unexpected features. This woman is nude and is shielding herself with her hands. Either that or she's masturbating. You don't have to deny it. You too are getting dirty thoughts from this picture