Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, Pisa. by ER's Eyes - Our planet is beautiful.
Facade of the Duomo.
A Pisan-Romanesque triumph of blind arcades, open arcades and polychrome marble ornaments.
The cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta (Assumption of Mary), is a treasure trove of Italian art. The facade is gray and white marble and features colorful marble decorations, while the main door is bronze.
The cathedral was designed by the architect of Greek origin Buscheto, at a time when the city was an independent republic and one of the Italian powers. The construction began in 1064, on the pre-existing cathedral dating from 1006. With the exhaustion of the predicted budget, in 1095 the works were paralyzed; however, continued by virtue of a grant from the Byzantine emperor. The consecration of the building was carried out in 1118 by Pope Gelasius II.
The main façade, which was only completed in the 13th century - has four picturesque rows of columns descending towards the sky.
Before entering the cathedral, note the three pairs of sixteenth-century bronze doors at the main entrance. Designed by the school of Giambologna to replace the original, wooden, destroyed (with the largest pate inside the cathedral) in the fire of 1596, the doors are fascinating. It is possible to spend hours deciphering the biblical scenes that illustrate the immaculate conception of the Virgin and the birth of Christ (central doors), the Way to Calvary and the Crucifixion of Christ, etc., and the Ministry of Christ. Find the rhino.
The front door of the Cathedral features numerous embossed decorations, among which there is a small lizard that traditionally brings good fortune to anyone who touches it. Therefore, many visitors rub their hands there, which is also done by many students hoping to do well in the exams.
Pisa Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta; Duomo di Pisa) is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Italy. It is a notable exam... Read further