Pisa, Italy

We woke to a warm and sunny Wednesday in Vezzano Ligure. Thankfully, the rain and cloud cover had moved on. We quickly packed and cleaned up our Airbnb casale, then headed down the hill and hit the Autostrada southeast to our next destination in Tuscany.

The University town of Pisa was roughly the halfway point of our drive from Vezzano Ligure to the villa near Rosia. Our Italian friend Graziano, who studied in Pisa, joked about getting an engineering degree from a place that produced one of history’s most famous engineering mistakes.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, while undoubtedly the most famous attraction in the square, is actually the third-oldest structure after the cathedral and the baptistry. All across the vast space are striking works of Italian art.

On the lawn near the tower, I recognized the she-wolf regarded as a symbol of Rome from ancient times. The statue depicts the wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus.

We decided to explore the interior of the domed baptistry first. The light marble of the lower structure contrasted with the warm yellow of the soaring dome.

Back outside, we circled the cathedral and took in the tower itself. Although we’d seen picture of this symbol of Italy for years, we all agreed it was much taller and impressive than we anticipated.

Of course, tourists all around us were posing for photos, acting like they were holding up or pushing the tower. We marveled at the people who had climbed to the top and were precariously perched on the highest rung.

An interesting aside: during World War II, the Allies discovered the Germans were using the tower as an observation post. A U.S. Army sergeant sent to confirm the presence of German troops in the tower was impressed by the beauty of the cathedral and its campanile, and thus refrained from ordering an artillery strike, sparing it from destruction.

Today, the Italian military were in prominent positions around the square for security reasons. We appreciated their presence.

After circling the tower, we ducked into the massive cathedral. You can only see so many churches in Europe before your eyes start to glaze over. But I was impressed by the geometric gold ceiling flaked with dark blue detailing.

I still marvel at the sculpture work inside these churches. As in Germany and Ireland, I wondered about the craftsmen who dedicated their lives to working on individual pieces. They left us lasting testaments to their skill and passion.

Outside, workers were busy refurbishing the exterior of the cathedral, carefully removing centuries of grime.

One of my favorite sculptures in Pisa’s cathedral square was this ancient take on a roaring lion. While not the most graceful of depictions, it was massive and defiant.

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