Day 16 - Part I - Lean to the Right

This morning we were off to Pisa. We saw the Duomo, one the finest Romanesque buildings in Tuscany, which contains Nicola Pisano’s magnificent marble pulpit. We also saw the Camp and Ile as known as the Leaning Tower. These are all gathered in the Campo Del Miracoli.

The students were a bit shocked that the Leaning Tower was not as tall as they had thought it would be.  It's  is a beautiful bell tower that leans 5.4 meters. The construction began in 1173 and the soil caused it to lean when it was just 10 meters high. The Tower was completed in the late 14^th Century. The Tower’s apparent flouting of the laws of gravity has attracted many visitors including Galileo, who climbed to the top to conduct his famous experiments on velocity.    

The Duomo has a superb façade that has a side door with charming bronze panels by Bond Anno Da Pisa. The interior has numerous works of art including an elaborate carved gothic pulpit with a 13^th century mosaic.

We challenged the students to a creative Pisa photo contest.  Don't forget to ask about them when we get home.