“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10
Pisa is about 20 km from Livorno with the Arno river running through it. It was an independent city-state during the medieval times and was founded by the Tuscans prior to the Romans being here. The Field of Miracles is the main square in Pisa, but no miracles have actually happened here. The area was dubbed that by an Italian poet.
The famous leaning tower is actually the bell tower for the Cathedral of Santa Maria. Building began in 1173, and unfortunately, the ground was not as stable as the builders had originally thought. The tower began to lean almost immediately because the unsettled soil could not support the weight of the marble tower. Construction stopped for about 100 years, which was a good thing because it gave time for the ground to settle. At this time, only four levels had been completed. Construction began again in 1273 from the fourth to seventh floors, and the tower was finally finished. In 1990, the tower’s leaning was understood better. It actually leans because one side is rising from bubbles in the underground clay which push the tower up on one side as they move to the surface.
Builders finally had to remove soil from beneath the tower to stabilize it. It was reopened in 2001 for tourists to climb. Architects say it is just a matter of time before the tower actually topples over, but it is not expected to do so for at least 300 years. The tower stands 58 meters tall and is completely made of marble. It weighs approximately 13,000 tons.
On the grounds of the Field of Miracles are several buildings. The tall round building is the baptistery (built 1150-1155), and the cathedral is behind it, between the baptistery and tower. The cathedral, or Duomo, was the first structure built here. It was constructed during the Crusades and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Although it is predominantly Roman architecture, there are a lot of Islamic influences that can be identified.
Clockwise from top-left: Entering the Field of Miracles; the Leaning Tower of Pisa; the baptistery; Duomo
While John climbed to the top of the tower, I stayed below to keep the tower from falling!
Left: John is on the far right; top-right: bells in the tower; middle-right: staircase inside the tower; lower-right: Jayne supports the tower.
Next stop: Rome, Italy