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Pisa Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta; Duomo di Pisa) is a medieval
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in the Piazza dei Miracoli in
Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...
, Italy, the oldest of the three structures in the plaza followed by the
Pisa Baptistry The Pisa Baptistery of St. John ( it, Battistero di San Giovanni) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical building in Pisa, Italy. Construction started in 1152 to replace an older baptistery, and when it was completed in 1363, it became the second bu ...
and the
Campanile A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The cathedral is a notable example of
Romanesque architecture Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this lat ...
, in particular the style known as ''Pisan Romanesque''.
Consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
in 1118, it is the seat of the
Archbishop of Pisa The Archdiocese of Pisa ( la, Archidioecesis Pisana) is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Pisa, Italy.717,_Pisan.html" ;"title="708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 [1717, Pisan and on 31 J ...
. Construction began in 1063 and was completed in 1092. Additional enlargements and a new facade">717, Pisan">708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 [1717, Pisan and on 31 J ...
. Construction began in 1063 and was completed in 1092. Additional enlargements and a new facade were built in the 12th century and the roof was replaced after damage from a fire in 1595.


History

Construction on the cathedral began in 1063 (1064 according to the Pisan calendar of the time) by the architect
Buscheto Buscheto or Busketus (Pisa-Italy, XI–XII) was an Italian architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of ...
, and expenses were paid using the spoils received fighting against the Muslims in
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
in 1063. It includes various stylistic elements: classical, First Romanesque, Lombard-Emilian, Byzantine art, Byzantine, and Islamic art, Islamic, drawing upon the international presence of Pisan merchants at that time. In the same year, St. Mark's Basilica began its reconstruction in
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
, evidence of a strong rivalry between the two maritime republics to see which could create the most beautiful and luxurious place of worship. The church was erected outside Pisa's early medieval walls, to show that Pisa had no fear of being attacked. The chosen area had already been used in the Lombard era as a
necropolis A necropolis (plural necropolises, necropoles, necropoleis, necropoli) is a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. The name stems from the Ancient Greek ''nekropolis'', literally meaning "city of the dead". The term usually im ...
and at the beginning of the 11th century a church had been erected here, but never finished, that was to be named ''Santa Maria''. Buscheto's grand new church was initially called ''Santa Maria Maggiore'' until it was officially named ''Santa Maria Assunta''. In 1092 the cathedral was declared primatial church, archbishop
Dagobert Dagobert or Taginbert is a Germanic male given name, possibly from Old Frankish ''Dag'' "day" and ''beraht'' "bright". Alternatively, it has been identified as Gaulish ''dago'' "good" ''berxto'' "bright". Animals * Roi Dagobert (born 1964), t ...
having been given the title of
Primate Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians (monkeys and apes, the latter including huma ...
by
Pope Urban II Pope Urban II ( la, Urbanus II;  – 29 July 1099), otherwise known as Odo of Châtillon or Otho de Lagery, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 March 1088 to his death. He is best known for convening th ...
. The cathedral was consecrated in 1118 by
Pope Gelasius II Pope Gelasius II (c. 1060/1064 – 29 January 1119), born Giovanni Caetani or Giovanni da Gaeta (also called ''Coniulo''), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 January 1118 to his death in 1119. A monk of Monte C ...
, who belonged to the Caetani family which was powerful both in Pisa and in Rome. In the early 12th century the cathedral was enlarged under the direction of architect Rainaldo, who increased the length of the nave by adding three
bays A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a narr ...
consistent with the original style of Buscheto, enlarged the
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building withi ...
, and planned a new facade which was completed by workers under the direction of the sculptors Guglielmo and
Biduino Biduino or Biduinus (active c. 1173 – 1194) was an Italian sculptor and architect from the Romanesque period, active around Pisa and Lucca. His name is attributed to having been born in Bidogno in Val, near Lugano.Bonanno Pisano Bonanno Pisano (Pisa), active in the 1170s and 1180s, was an Italian sculptor, mixing Byzantine and classical elements. Giorgio Vasari attributed the realization of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to him in his ''Vite''. Pisano was born in Pisa and w ...
found on the main door. The structure's present appearance is the result of numerous restoration campaigns that were carried out in different eras. The first radical interventions occurred after the fire of 1595, following which the roof was replaced and sculptors from the workshop of
Giambologna Giambologna (1529 – 13 August 1608), also known as Jean de Boulogne (French), Jehan Boulongne (Flemish) and Giovanni da Bologna (Italian), was the last significant Italian Renaissance sculptor, with a large workshop producing large and small ...
, among whom were Gasparo Mola and Pietro Tacca, created the three bronze doors of the facade. In the early 18th century began the redecoration of the inside walls of the cathedral with large paintings, the "quadroni", depicting stories of the blesseds and saints of Pisa. These works were made by the principal artists of the era, and a group of citizens arranged for the special financing of the project. Successive interventions occurred in the 19th century and included both internal and external modifications; among the latter was the removal of the original facade statues (presently in the cathedral museum) and their replacement with copies. Other notable interventions include: the dismantling of Giovanni Pisano's pulpit between 1599 and 1601 that only in 1926 was reassembled and returned to the cathedral (with some original pieces missing, including the staircase); and the dismantling of the monument to Henry VII made by
Lupo di Francesco Lupo di Francesco (14th century) was an Italian sculptor and architect, active in Pisa. He collaborated with Giovanni Pisani in the sculpting of the pulpit of the Cathedral of Pisa, later was a pupil of Tino di Camaino. In 1315, he worked as arch ...
that was found in front of the door of San Ranieri and later substituted by a simpler, symbolic version.


Description

The original building plan was a Greek cross with a grand cupola at the crossing, but today the plan is a Latin cross with a central
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
flanked by two side aisles on each side, with the apse and transepts having three naves. The inside offers a spatial effect similar to that of the great
mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
s thanks to the use of raised lancet arches, the alternating layers of black and white marble, and the elliptical dome, inspired by the Moors. The presence of two raised matronea in the nave, with their solid, monolithic columns of granite, is a clear sign of Byzantine influence. Buscheto welcomed Islamic and
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
n influence.


Exterior

The rich exterior decoration contains multicolored marble, mosaic, and numerous bronze objects from the spoils of war, among which is the
griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...
which was taken in
Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
in 1061 and later placed on the eastern part of the roof. In the early 19th century the original sculpture, which can now be seen in the cathedral museum, was removed from the roof and replaced with a copy. The high arches show Islamic and southern Italian influence. The blind arches with lozenge shapes recall similar structures in
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
. The facade of grey and white marble, decorated with colored marble inserts, was built by Master Rainaldo. Above the three doorways are four levels of loggia divided by cornices with marble intarsia, behind which open single, double, and triple windows. Contrary to what might be thought, from the beginning the faithful entered the cathedral through the Door of Saint Rainerius, found in the transept of the same name, which faces the bell tower. This was because the nobles of the city, who approached the cathedral by via Santa Maria, would find themselves precisely at this entrance. This door was cast about 1180 by
Bonanno Pisano Bonanno Pisano (Pisa), active in the 1170s and 1180s, was an Italian sculptor, mixing Byzantine and classical elements. Giorgio Vasari attributed the realization of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to him in his ''Vite''. Pisano was born in Pisa and w ...
, and it is the only door not destroyed by the fire of 1595 that heavily damaged the cathedral. The heavy bronze doors of the facade were newly designed, executed and completed in 1602 by sculptors around
Giambologna Giambologna (1529 – 13 August 1608), also known as Jean de Boulogne (French), Jehan Boulongne (Flemish) and Giovanni da Bologna (Italian), was the last significant Italian Renaissance sculptor, with a large workshop producing large and small ...
on the expense of Ferdinando I de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The door of Saint Rainerius is decorated with 24 bronze relief sculptures showing stories of the New Testament. This door is one of the first produced in Italy during the Middle Ages, after the importation of numerous examples from
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
(to
Amalfi Amalfi (, , ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto (1,315 metres, 4,314 feet), surrounded by dramatic c ...
,
Salerno Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' in Campania (southwestern Italy) and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after ...
,
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
,
Montecassino Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley, Italy, west of Cassino and at an elevation of . Site of the Roman town of Casinum, it is widely known for its abbey, the first h ...
,
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
, etc.), and a completely western sensibility, detached from the Byzantine tradition, can be admired. Above the doors are four open galleries, with, at the top, the Madonna and Child and, in the angles, the four evangelists. The tomb of Buscheto is found to the left of the north door of the facade.


Interior

The interior, subdivided at the front into a central
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
flanked by two side aisles on either side and with the
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building withi ...
and
apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...
in three naves, is covered with white and black marble, with monolithic grey marble columns having
corinthian capitals The Corinthian order (Greek: Κορινθιακός ρυθμός, Latin: ''Ordo Corinthius'') is the last developed of the three principal classical orders of Ancient Greek architecture and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric order w ...
. It has a wooden 17th-century coffered ceiling, painted and decorated with gold leaf, made by Domenico and Bartolomeo Atticciati; it bears the Medici coat of arms. Presumably the earlier ceiling was a structure with wooden trusses. The inside of the dome, found where the central nave and the transepts cross, is decorated using a rare painting technique called encaustic and depicts the Virgin in glory with saints by the Pisan artists Orazio and Girolamo Riminaldi (1627-1631). Restoration of the dome began in 2015 and was concluded in 2018. The granite Corinthian columns between the nave and the apse come from the mosque of
Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
, and are Pisan spoils retained in 1063 after a successful joint attack with the Normans on the Muslims in that city. The large mosaic in the apse of ''Christ enthroned between the Virgin and Saint John'' is famous for the face of Saint John, painted by Cimabue in 1302, which miraculously survived the fire of 1595. This is the last work painted by Cimabue and the only work of his for which we have certified documentation. The work evokes the mosaics of the Byzantine and Norman churches found in
Cefalù Cefalù (), classically known as Cephaloedium (), is a city and comune in the Italian Metropolitan City of Palermo, located on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily about east of the provincial capital and west of Messina. The town, with its populati ...
and
Monreale Monreale (; ; Sicilian: ''Murriali'') is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, in Sicily, southern Italy. It is located on the slope of Monte Caputo, overlooking the very fertile valley called ''"La Conca d'oro"'' (the Golde ...
in
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
. The mosaic, in large part made by Francesco da Pisa, was brought to completion by Vincino da Pistoia with the Madonna on the left side (1320). Among the medieval works that avoided destruction during the fire of 1595 are the fresco of the Madonna with Child in the triumphal arch by the Pisan artist Maestro di San Torpè, as well as the cosmati pavement, work rarely found outside of
Lazio it, Laziale , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
. It was made using inlaid marble to create geometric patterns (mid-12th century). Other fresco fragments from the late medieval period have survived, among which is ''Saint Jerome'' on one of the four central pylons, as well as ''Saint John the Bapstist'', a Crucifixion, and Saints Cosmas and Damian on one of the pylons near the entrance, partially hidden by the entry way.


The pulpit

The pulpit, a masterpiece made by Giovanni Pisano (1302-1310), survived the fire but was dismantled during the work of restoration and was not reassembled until 1926. With its intricate architecture and its complex sculptural decoration the work presents one of the most sweeping narratives of the 13th-century imagination which reflects the religious renewal and fervor of the era. On the slightly curved panels are sculpted with an expressive language the episodes of the life of Christ. The structure is polygonal (exactly as seen in the analogous works in the Baptistery of Pisa, in the Siena Cathedral Pulpit, and in the church of Saint Andrew); but this is the first example in a work of this type in which the panels are slightly curved. Other original features include: the presence of caryatids, sculpted figures in place of simple columns, that symbolize the Virtues; the use of scrolled 'shelving' in place of arches to support the raised platform; the sense of movement given by the numerous figures that fill up every empty space. For these qualities united to the skillful narrative art of the nine scenes the pulpit is generally considered to be a masterpiece, but more broadly it is considered a masterpiece of Italian gothic sculpture. This pulpit substituted the previous one made by Guglielmo (1157-1162) that was sent to the Cagliari Cathedral. Given the lack of documentation prior to its dismantling, the pulpit was placed in a location different from its original spot, and without doubt, its parts are not in their original positions either. It is unknown if the original work possessed a marble staircase.


Works of art

The church also houses the relics of Saint Rainerius, patron saint of Pisa, and the fragmentary tomb of
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII (German: ''Heinrich''; c. 1273 – 24 August 1313),Kleinhenz, pg. 494 also known as Henry of Luxembourg, was Count of Luxembourg, King of Germany (or '' Rex Romanorum'') from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first empe ...
, who died at Buonconvento while holding Florence, in vain, under siege. The tomb, sculpted by
Tino da Camaino 300px, Tomb of Antonio d'Orso, in Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence.">Florence.html" ;"title="Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence">Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence. Tino di Camaino (c. 1280 – c. 1337) was an Italian sculptor. Born in Siena, the s ...
between 1313 and 1315, was also dismantled then reconstructed and today sits in the right transept, while its original position was in the center of the apse as a sign of the city's ghibbeline adherence. Moved several times for political reasons, it eventually was separated into many parts (some inside the church, some on the facade, others in the Camposanto, and yet others in the cathedral museum). The 27 paintings that cover the galleries behind the main altar, depicting ''stories of the Old Testament'' and ''stories of the life of Christ'', were made between the 16th and 17th centuries mostly by Tuscan artists, among whom are Andrea del Sarto (three works: ''Saint Agnes'', ''Saints Catherine and Margaret'', and ''Saints Peter and John the Baptist'') il Sodoma, and Domenico Beccafumi (Stories of Moses and the Evagelists). Numerous and prestigious are the sacred furnishings of the church, including the bronze crucifix found on the main altar, and the angel candleholders placed at the ends of the rich marble transenna, made by
Giambologna Giambologna (1529 – 13 August 1608), also known as Jean de Boulogne (French), Jehan Boulongne (Flemish) and Giovanni da Bologna (Italian), was the last significant Italian Renaissance sculptor, with a large workshop producing large and small ...
, as well as the large ciborium in silver designed by
Giovanni Battista Foggini Giovanni Battista (Giambattista) Foggini (25 April 1652 – 12 April 1725) was an Italian sculptor active in Florence, renowned mainly for small bronze statuary. Biography Born in Florence, the young Foggini was sent to Rome by the Medici Gran ...
(1678–86) on the altar of the Blessed Sacrament chapel. On the numerous side altars are located 16th and 17th century paintings. Among these works are the ''
Our Lady of Graces Our Lady of Graces (Italian: ''Madonna delle Grazie'' or ''Nostra Signora delle Grazie'') or Saint Mary of Graces (Italian: ''Santa Maria delle Grazie'') is a devotion to the Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic Church. Several churches with this d ...
with saints'', by the Florentine Mannerist
Andrea del Sarto Andrea del Sarto (, , ; 16 July 1486 – 29 September 1530) was an Italian painter from Florence, whose career flourished during the High Renaissance and early Mannerism. He was known as an outstanding fresco decorator, painter of altar-pieces, ...
, and the ''Madonna enthroned with saints'' in the right transept, by Perin del Vaga, a student of
Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...
, both finished by
Giovanni Antonio Sogliani Giovanni Antonio Sogliani (1492 – 17 July 1544) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance, active mainly in Florence. Life and Work Giorgio Vasari in his ''Vite'', the main source for Sogliani's biography, claimed that the painter had appr ...
. In the Baroque style are: the ''Disputa del Sacramento'' by the Sienese painter Francesco Vanni, and the ''Cross with saints'' by Genoan
Giovanni Battista Paggi Giovanni Battista Paggi (27 February 1554 – 12 March 1627) was an Italian painter, sculptor, and writer. His style spans the Late-Renaissance and early-Baroque. Life He was born in Genoa into the well-to-do family of his father Pellegrino. I ...
. Particularly well-loved is the 13th century image of the ''Madonna col Bambino'', also called the ''Madonna under the organ'', attributed to
Berlinghiero Berlinghieri Berlinghiero also known as Berlinghiero Berlinghieri or Berlinghiero of Lucca (floruit, fl. 1228 – between 1236 and 1242), was an Italian painter in the Italo-Byzantine style of the early thirteenth century. He was the father of the painter ...
of Volterra. The cathedral, like the leaning bell tower, is sinking perceptibly into the ground, and a few indications of this instability are visible. For example, the difference in the floor levels of the original nave of Buscheto and the bays which were added later by Rainaldo. The cathedral's original ''gràdule'', constructed by Giovanni Pisano and dating from the late 13th century, were replaced in 1865 by the present
parvise A parvis or parvise is the open space in front of and around a cathedral or church, especially when surrounded by either colonnades or porticoes, as at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It is thus a church-specific type of forecourt, front yard or a ...
. These marble panels, decorated with carved animal figures and faces, were used to create a low wall which was placed close to the outer perimeter of the cathedral and which created an enclosure that provided space for the numerous sarcophagi from the Roman period. During the Middle Ages, these panels were reused for burials of nobles (among them
Beatrice of Lorraine Beatrice of Bar (also ''Beatrix''; c. 1020 – 18 April 1076) was the marchioness of Tuscany by marriage to Boniface III of Tuscany, and Regent of Tuscany from 1052 until her death, during the minority of and in co-regency with, her daughter Mat ...
) and other well known persons. Some fragments are still visible in the cathedral museum, while the sarcophagi were all moved inside the fence of the Camposanto.


Organs

Inside the cathedral are found the Serassi
organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...
made between 1831 and 1835, as well as an organ made in 1977 by the company Mascioni of Cuvio.


Main artists who worked in the cathedral

*
Buscheto Buscheto or Busketus (Pisa-Italy, XI–XII) was an Italian architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of ...
(architect) * Rainaldo (facade) *
Guglielmo Guglielmo () is the Italian form of the masculine name William. It may refer to: People with the given name Guglielmo: * Guglielmo I Gonzaga (1538–1587), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat * Guglielmo Achille Cavellini (1914–1990), influential ...
(original pulpit and marble decoration) The three artists listed above are buried in the cathedral. * Cimabue (mosaic in the apse) *
Tino da Camaino 300px, Tomb of Antonio d'Orso, in Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence.">Florence.html" ;"title="Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence">Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence. Tino di Camaino (c. 1280 – c. 1337) was an Italian sculptor. Born in Siena, the s ...
(funeral monument of Henry VII) *
Bonanno Pisano Bonanno Pisano (Pisa), active in the 1170s and 1180s, was an Italian sculptor, mixing Byzantine and classical elements. Giorgio Vasari attributed the realization of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to him in his ''Vite''. Pisano was born in Pisa and w ...
(original bronze doors) *
Giambologna Giambologna (1529 – 13 August 1608), also known as Jean de Boulogne (French), Jehan Boulongne (Flemish) and Giovanni da Bologna (Italian), was the last significant Italian Renaissance sculptor, with a large workshop producing large and small ...
and his school (bronze doors of the facade) * Giovanni Pisano (pulpit) * Nicola Pisano e Giovanni Pisano (crown around the dome) * Pietro Tacca (crucifix and angel candle bearers) *
Andrea del Sarto Andrea del Sarto (, , ; 16 July 1486 – 29 September 1530) was an Italian painter from Florence, whose career flourished during the High Renaissance and early Mannerism. He was known as an outstanding fresco decorator, painter of altar-pieces, ...
(various paintings) * Il Sodoma (various paintings) *
Giovanni Battista Tempesti Giovanni Battista Tempesti (1729–1804) was an Italian painter, active mainly in Pisa. Biography Tempesta was born in Volterra. He studied in Pisa and Rome. On his return from to Pisa, for the church of San Domenico, he painted scenes from the ...
(various paintings) *
Biduino Biduino or Biduinus (active c. 1173 – 1194) was an Italian sculptor and architect from the Romanesque period, active around Pisa and Lucca. His name is attributed to having been born in Bidogno in Val, near Lugano.Giuliano Vangi Giuliano Vangi (born March 13, 1931) is an Italian sculptor. He received the Praemium Imperiale in the sculpture category. In 2002, he was considered for the Nobel Prize of Arts. Vangi was born in Barberino di Mugello and studied in the Istituto ...
(pulpit and main altar) * Orazio Riminaldi and Girolamo Riminaldi (fresco in the dome) * Vincenzo Possenti (chandelier)


Of further interest

* At the end of the 10th century Pisa established March 25 as the beginning of its new year. This date was considered very important because it is both the
Feast of the Annunciation The Feast of the Annunciation, in Greek, Ο Ευαγγελισμός της Θεοτόκου, contemporarily the Solemnity of the Annunciation, and also called Lady Day, the Feast of the Incarnation ('), or Conceptio Christi ('), commemorates the ...
(occurring nine months before Christ's birth on December 25) and it falls very close to the
spring equinox Spring equinox or vernal equinox or variations may refer to: * March equinox, the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere * September equinox, the spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere Other uses * Nowruz, Persian/Iranian new year which be ...
. To mark the beginning of the Pisan new year a system was devised in the cathedral whereby a beam of light shines through a round window on the south side of the nave and, precisely at noon on March 25, lands on the same spot every year: on top of a shelf affixed to a pylon on the opposite side of the church. This shelf rests on a marble egg, a symbol of birth and new life. In 1750 the first day of the new year was officially changed to January 1, but this event is still celebrated every year accompanied by solemn religious and civic celebrations. * The lamp at the center of the nave is called Galileo's lamp, because a legend says that the great scientist formulated his theory of
isochronism A sequence of events is isochronous if the events occur regularly, or at equal time intervals. The term ''isochronous'' is used in several technical contexts, but usually refers to the primary subject maintaining a constant period or interval ( ...
of the
pendulum A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward the ...
while watching its oscillations from the roof of the nave. The original, however, smaller and very different than this one, is found today in the Camposanto. * On the north side, to the left side of the facade in front of the Camposanto at about eye level, is an original piece of Roman marble (as testified to by its decoration that can still in part be seen), on which are a series of small black marks. Legend says that these marks were left by the devil when he climbed up to the dome attempting to stop its construction, and so they are referred to as the ''scratches of the devil''. (The legend also says that out of spite the number of scratches always changes when counted.) * Legend has it that the
amphora An amphora (; grc, ἀμφορεύς, ''amphoreús''; English plural: amphorae or amphoras) is a type of container with a pointed bottom and characteristic shape and size which fit tightly (and therefore safely) against each other in storag ...
placed on a small column on the right side of the apse was used by Christ at the wedding feast of Cana when he turned water into wine. * Pope Gregory VIII is buried in the cathedral. File:Capodanno Pisano.JPG, The ray of light on the Feast of the Annunciation File:Galileo osserva la lampada nel Duomo di Pisa, affresco di Luigi Sabatelli, Tribuna di Galileo, Firenze..jpg, Galileo observing the lamp File:Pisa.Duomo.dome.Riminaldi01.jpg, The so-called ''Lamp of Galileo'' and the cupola of the dome File:Lampada galileo camposanto.jpg, The original lamp seen by Galileo File:Cup from the biblical wedding of Cana.jpg, The amphora said to be from the wedding feast of Cana.


Other images

File:Pisa - veduta dall'aereo 2.JPG, Aerial view with the complex of the Piazza dei Miracoli from the south File:Pisa.Duomo01.jpg, Eastern end of the cathedral File:Grifó islàmic, catedral de Pisa.JPG, A copy of the bronze griffin on the cathedral roof File:Arte islamica, ippogrifo, XI sec 03.JPG, The bronze griffin in the cathedral museum File:Brogi, Giacomo (1822-1881) - n. 3457 - Pisa - Cattedrale - Antica porta in bronzo - Bonanno.jpg, ''Door of Saint Rainier'' by
Bonanno Pisano Bonanno Pisano (Pisa), active in the 1170s and 1180s, was an Italian sculptor, mixing Byzantine and classical elements. Giorgio Vasari attributed the realization of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to him in his ''Vite''. Pisano was born in Pisa and w ...
. 19th century photography by
Giacomo Brogi Giacomo Brogi (6 April 1822 – 29 November 1881) was an Italian photographer. Giacomo Brogi created his first studio in Corso Tintori, in Florence in 1864. He began traveling around Italy and later traveled to the Middle East in 1868 includi ...
File:Relics of St Ranieri - Duomo - Pisa 2014.jpg, Tomb altar of Saint Rainier, patron saint of Pisa File:Pisa.Duomo.pulpit.Pisano02.jpg, Detail of the pulpit, ''Hercules'', a rare medieval depiction of a nude File:Central Fresco Duomo di Pisa.jpg, Encaustic painting of the ''Assumption'' in the dome


Note


See also

* Piazza dei Miracoli *
Archdiocese of Pisa The Archdiocese of Pisa ( la, Archidioecesis Pisana) is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Pisa, Italy.717, Pisan">708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 [1717, Pisan and on 31 J ... has been Giovanni Paolo Benotto. History In a letter of ...
* Leaning Tower of Pisa * Baptistery of Pisa * History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes


External links


Places of Faith in Tuscany (in both Italian and English)


{{Authority control 11th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic cathedrals in Italy Roman Catholic churches in Pisa Church buildings with domes Romanesque architecture Architecture in Italy Medieval artists Medieval art Pulpits Cathedrals in Tuscany Burial sites of the House of Luxembourg