ピサの観光スポット

ピサの斜塔はご存知の通り世界で最も有名な建造物の一つですが、それはこの塔が正半円形アーチの無数に施されたピサ独特のデザインをしてるからではなく、塔が傾いているからです。 1173年に大聖堂の鐘楼として着工されたこの塔でしたが、建築家のボナンノ・ピサーノが最初の3段を完成させた1178年には塔が傾き始めました。 現在、塔は改修工事によりこれ以上傾斜が進まないような状態に保たれています。塔の傾斜の角度は以前5メートルだったものが現在は4.1メートルになっています。 ピサの斜塔に来たならぜひ中に入って螺旋階段を登り、頂上からピサ市街の景色をお楽しみ下さい。入場料金はかかりますが支払う価値あり！入場者数が限られている予約必須のチケットですので、なるべく早めにご予約下さい。

Some of the finest gems of Western architecture are clustered on Pisa’s Piazza dei Miracoli, known locally as Piazza del Duomo. Your first sight of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Duomo and the Baptistery is literally breathtaking, their white marble shining in the sunshine on a bed of emerald green lawn against a summer’s blue sky. Apart from the glorious architecture – white, red and green marble, Romanesque curves, Tuscan arches and Gothic points – it’s the almost surreal spatial quality of the buildings that creates a sensation. Come here during the day to see the buildings’ white marble shine in the sunlight, and return again at night when visitors are fewer and the buildings are beautifully floodlit.

The wedding cake white marble of the Pisa Baptistery, or Battistero, is one of the stunning collection of buildings on the Piazza dei Miracoli. The Leaning Tower may be more famous, but the Baptistery captivates visitors with its ornate round shape and mix of architectural styles. Rounded Romanesque arches make up the ground level, while pointed Gothic shapes take over on the remaining arches and the building’s cupcake dome. Inside, there’s a beautifully carved pulpit by Nicola Pisano and a huge ornate marble font, used for total-immersion baptisms. While you’re here, climb the stairs to the gallery for a bird’s-eye view, and discover the building’s remarkable acoustics by whispering sweet nothings beneath the dome.

In Roman and medieval days, the Knights’ Square was Pisa’s central city square, a place for meetings and discussion. The piazza was lavishly remodeled by the famous architect Vasari in the 16th century, creating a landmark example of spacious Renaissance town planning. The grand space is gracefully lined with palatial palazzos and the church of the Knights of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri. The church was also designed by Vasari, and named for the religious and military order founded by Cosimo de’ Medici. A statue of Cosimo stands in front of the Palazzo dei Cavalieri, which features detailed monochromatic etchings on its facade known as sgraffiti, also contributed by Vasari.

The exquisite church of Santa Maria della Spina is one of the prettiest fairy-tale churches in the world. Designed in classic Pisan Gothic style, the tiny striped marble church was built to house a thorn from the Crown of Thorns. The building dates back to 1230, with Gothic enlargements in the 1350s. Originally, the building sat much closer to the river, and it was moved to its present site on the riverside walkway in 1871. The interior is less ornate than the fanciful exterior, with many statues and details being lost during the relocation. However, a magnificent Madonna and Child remains, sculpted by Andrea and Nino Pisano in the mid-14th century.