DUOMO
A masterpiece of Pisan Romanesque style with an elegant façade decorated with four orders of boxes.
This Romanesque-Pisan masterpiece, begun in 1064 and completed at the end of the 12th century, has remained a reference point for Tuscan architecture in later periods. At the end of its construction, it was the largest cathedral in Europe. Just look at it!
The elegant facade is decorated with four orders of loggias. Its decorative elements, underlining the grandeur of the city of Pisa, then a powerful maritime republic, give a large place to orientalism, like the elliptical dome of 1380, the first of its kind in Europe.
The superb interior is composed of five naves, each about a hundred metres long, and sixty-eight granite columns from the island of Elba. Its coffered ceiling, made of cedar from Lebanon and decorated with 80 kg of gold, is not the original one, but dates from the end of the 16th century. In the apse, a large mosaic of Christ (1302) is the work of Cimabue. The cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, also houses works by Giovanni Pisano (including the beautiful 14th-century pulpit). The latter is the main masterpiece of the place. Built between 1300 and 1311, it explains the different phases of its construction. Some of its panels offer a true picture of the activity in the square at the time. The precision of the sculpture, the volume of the figures and the representation of the massacre of the innocents make this pulpit an extremely lively work.
On the practical side, the entrance ticket is cumulative, to be collected at the museum or tower ticket office.
Did you know? This review was written by our professional authors.
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Members' reviews on DUOMO
The ratings and reviews below reflect the subjective opinions of members and not the opinion of The Little Witty.
Intérieur magnifique et grandiose avec plein de marbres colorés, encore quelques travaux à l'extérieur mais ce n'est pas gênant.