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Pisa
Tourist information - Pisa
Pisa is a city in central Italy, capital of Pisa Province, in Tuscany Region, on the Arno River, near the Ligurian Sea. The city is a rail and road junction and a tourist and industrial center. Important manufactures include textiles, machinery, processed foods, pharmaceuticals, and glass. Among the educational institutions are the University of Pisa, a teachers college, an engineering school, a veterinary institute, and an agricultural school.
The principal landmarks of Pisa are grouped in the area of the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) and include the cathedral, the baptistery, and the bell tower (campanile). The cathedral, a great white marble edifice in the Romanesque style, was begun in 1063. The richly decorated facade was added in the 12th century. The baptistery, begun in 1153, is a circular building in the Romanesque style crowned with a great dome and lavishly ornamented in the 14th century in the Gothic style.
The bell tower is known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and is a popular tourist attraction. Construction began in 1174 but was suspended when the builders became aware that the shallow foundation would be inadequate in the soft soil. The structure was nevertheless completed by the second half of the 14th century. The Leaning Tower is cylindrical in shape, with eight arcaded stories, and leans about 10° (about 16 feet) from the vertical. The tower had to be closed to visitors beginning in 1990 because of concerns that it was structurally unstable. Work to make the tower's foundation more secure was undertaken in 1992.
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