The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page, Saint Augustine.

A guest post from my husband Roy who loves the camera as much as I love words. (Though he’s done the words too, in this case:-)

The Leaning Tower of Pisa,  one of the symbols of Italy, and a much hyped attraction,  did not disappoint us.

Exterior views of  the Leaning Tower, Duomo and Baptistery

These three pristine white buildings are in the center of a large green.

Pisa Baptistery (not actually leaning!)

Getting closer you see the exterior details:

and here is a single panel

 

 

 

And on either side there are smaller mosaics:

 

 

Interior, Duomo, Pisa

The mosaic of Christ does not have the typical austere expression:

The columns get in the photographer’s way, but do also produce some interesting views:

 

 

 

Here is a view through the backs of  the aligned pews

 

 

Here’s Pisano’s beautiful pulpit from 1310.  It has an interesting story:

The pulpit by Giovanni Pisano was completed by 1310 and survived the Great Fire of the Cathedral of October 25, 1596 . During the restoration work, between 1599 and 1601 , the pulpit was dismantled and its pieces were placed in different places, including the Campo Santo and the warehouses of the ‘ Work of the Primate . It was not reassembled until 1926 , when it was rebuilt in a different location from the original one, and certainly not with the parties in the same order and orientation as was intended by the author, since there is no documentation of how it was the layout of the various elements, including the panels, before dismantling. I do not even know if he had or not a marble staircase.

The four columns “simple” were donated by Mussolini at the time to dictatorial power, because after the reconstruction of some parts (such as scale) were missing. To honor the Duce these columns were placed in plain view, placing the caryatids at the back, less visible, when, it is supposed, would have to be exactly the opposite.  (Google translate’s version of a wikipedi.it article)

 

A motif I have not seen before:

 

The Baptistery

I believe, that in the early christian era, newborns, who had not been baptised were not admitted to the church, hence the baptistery was traditionally a separate building near the church.    The Pisa Baptistery is unusual in that it is circular.  (Typically, they are octagonal.)  Anyway, onthe inside it was not as beautiful as the duomo.

 

 

Playing the Leaning Tower game

It was a beautiful August day and the tourists were doing the same thing

 

Our daughter Irene, holding up the leaning tower, or pushing it over

 

It just takes a finger to support it

 

or two to pick it up