a cura di Alessandra Conforti

Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa is one of the most interesting place to visit in Tuscany. World Heritage of UNESCO from 1987, in Piazza dei Miracoli you can admire the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Campo Santo and the Campanile, the centre of a religious life in Pisa. Gabriele D’Annunzio called these monuments miracles for their beautiful and originality.
We know that the position of the monuments isn’t accidental but follow a clear plan. Someone for example view in the position the Libra constellation or other connections. The Dome is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and it’s the centre of the complex. This is a five-naved cathedral with a three-naved transept. The church is known also as the Primatial, the archbishop of Pisa being a Primate since 1092.
Its Construction began in 1064 by the architect Busketo, and set the model for the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style of architecture. The mosaics of the interior, as well as the pointed arches, show a strong Byzantine influence.
The Baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, stands opposite the west end of the Duomo. The round Romanesque building was begun in the mid 12th century: 1153 Mense August fundata fuit haec ("In the month of August 1153 was set up here..."). It was built inRomanesque style by an architect known as Diotisalvi ("God Save You"), who worked also in the church of the Holy Sepulchre in the city. His name is mentioned on a pillar inside, as Diotosalvi magister. the construction was not, however, finished until the 14th century, when the loggia, the top storey and the dome were added in Gothic style by Nicola Pisano and Giovanni Pisano.
The bell tower, commonly known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, is located behind the cathedral. The last of the three major buildings on the piazza to be built, construction of the bell tower began in 1173 and took place in three stages over the course of 177 years, with the bell-chamber only added in 1372. Five years after construction began, when the building had reached the third floor level, the weak subsoil and poor foundation led to the building sinking on its south side. The building was left for a century, which allowed the subsoil to stabilise itself and prevented the building from collapsing.
The Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery), also known as Campo Santo or Camposanto Vecchio (Old Cemetery), is located at the northern edge of the square. This walled cemetery—which some believe to be the most beautiful cemetery in the world—is said to have been built around a shipload of sacred soil from Calvary, brought back to Pisa from theFourth Crusade by Ubaldo de' Lanfranchi, the archbishop of Pisa in the 12th century. This is where the name Campo Santo(Holy Field) originates.