Terre di Pisa

Itineraries

Pisa from the top of the medieval walls

Itinerary: Leaning Tower – Tower of Santa Maria – Walk on the medieval walls

This short itinerary will accompany you in the discovery of Pisa in a path outside the usual patterns, which allows you to admire the city from a new perspective, taking advantage of the opening of the walk on the ancient medieval walls.

The route starts from the most famous tower in the world, the Leaning Tower that never served to defend the city as it is only the bell tower of the magnificent Cathedral of Piazza dei Miracoli. It is known worldwide for the beauty of its architectural structure, for the singular slope that makes it a true static miracle: about 58 meters high, inclination of 5.5 ° and almost 300 steps to climb.

Open all year, with guided tours every half hour and admission fee.

If you do not want to climb the Tower, behind the Baptistery is the Tower of Santa Maria, which leads to the walkway on the Medieval Walls, whose construction dates back to 1154, to be finished in 1284 (year of the defeat of the Meloria). The walkway on the Walls, with its 11 meters of hight and 4 ascent points, allows you to observe the city from above, with a pleasant walk of 3 km, from the square reaches the Arno (or vice versa). There are four access points: the Torre Santa Maria, the Piezometric Tower (near the university), the Tower in Piazza delle Gondole and the Tower in Piazza Del Rosso, near the Arno river.

Thanks to the walkway you can discover some beauties or curiosities that not even the Pisans are aware of, starting from Piazza delle Gondole, which takes the curious name from a small dock that served small boats, similar to the Venetian gondolas, that went up to the Monti Pisani through the canal.Or the so-called Bagni di Nerone, the remains of a Roman plant (the only one left in the city) used as a spa. In sparse order some places of worship, such as the Church of San Francesco (where the Count Ugolino is buried), the Abbey of San Zeno (Benedictine and Camaldolese, now a wedding venue), and the Jewish cemetery, just outside the walls that they overlook what still remains the most exciting and evocative point: the Piazza dei Miracoli.

There is no need to explain anything here. The view satisfies the walk. We are (almost) up to these wonders, authentic architectural miracles.

Sights

There would be other observation points from, which unfortunately are currently closed, but their reopening is pending.

In the splendid Piazza dei Cavalieri is the Torre della Muda, which made the city infamous. The name itself says nothing but Conte Ugolino della Gheradesca was imprisoned with his children after the defeat of the Meloria Pisan fleet. It is not accessible from the outside but from the library of the Scuola Normale Superiore, where a historical, literary and artistic itinerary is displayed, with illustrative panels and a video describing the historical Ugolino and the Ugolino made famous by Dante in Canto XXXIII of the Hell.

On the Lungarno Simonelli, the Guelph Tower that stands out with its unmistakable profile near the Medici Arsenals (home to the Pisa Ship Museum) and the nearby Republican Arsenals (home to temporary exhibits), where the shipbuilding activities of the Maritime Republic were located. The tower, owned by the municipality, is open to the public on occasional exhibitions or events.

For more information on the opening times of the monuments and the costs contact the Tourist Office of the Municipality of Pisa at 050.550100.

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