I wasn’t sure how the photos were going to turn out, so I took one just of the first floor to illustrate how crooked it really is. Strangely, I was surprised to see that the closer I got to it, the less it appeared to lean. Even with as many pictures as I’ve seen of it, it was still an interesting site in person and is arguably one of the most notable structures in Italy. Aesthetically, it looked like most other tombs, but it was a Holy Roman Emperor, come on. Also interesting was the tomb of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII. It’s quite impressive, but, for me, paled in comparison to the amazing mosaic, Christ in Majesty, above the altar. Most guide books focus on the pulpit that was carved by Giovanni Pisano, which is considered a masterpiece of medieval sculpture. The Duomo has a number of remarkable elements. I skipped the Baptistry but did pony up a few euros to tour the Duomo, which was an excellent decision. Ground Level of the Leaning Tower of Pisa There are three sites in the piazza – the Baptistry, the Duomo and, of course, the (leaning) Belltower. It was a little high priced for what I got, but the view of the tower from the patio and the tasty bread made it worth it. Thanks to Rick Steves, I quickly found a nearby trattoria called La Buca and grabbed a quick pizza made with fresh mozzarella di buffala. The bus takes you right to the main attractions flanked by numerous souvenir stands. Since I had injured my ankle pretty badly a few days earlier in Rome, I opted for the bus (LAM Rossa, which is just across the street from the train station). The Campo dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), or Piazza del Duomo if you’re not a tourist, is an easy 30 minute walk or 7 minute bus ride from the train station.

The attractions in Pisa are concentrated within a few square blocks, easy to see and definitely worth a couple of hours of time. Nevertheless, Pisa is one of those places you almost feel like you have to visit, especially when you’re only 45 minutes away in Florence.

It’s interesting to think that without a rather dramatic flaw in engineering, Pisa wouldn’t be nearly the tourist center that it is.

Pizza tower italy