The Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), as it was thus named, sits on a wide expanse of green lawn and showcases four brilliant white masterpieces of medieval monumental art: the world-famous Bell Tower or Leaning Tower, the Camposanto (Monumental Cemetery), the Baptistery, and the Cathedral. The latter two are so distinctive that they gave rise to an original architectural style known as the “Pisan Romanesque.”
Located in the extreme northwestern part of the city, the complex once stood near an ancient river port along the banks of a now-vanished river, the Auser. Due to its centrality, this area was chosen as the site for the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, built in 1064 to celebrate the greatness of Pisa, which at the time was a powerful maritime republic.
The "temple of marble white as snow," as inscribed on the tombstone of its architect, Buscheto di Giovanni Giudice, is a five-nave church with a three-nave transept, topped by a magnificent dome surrounded by a loggia. The Cathedral’s façade and sides feature rich marble decoration—which also covers the interior—mosaics, and bronze. Arab influences are evident in some of the decorative elements and in the spatial organization with multiple visual axes, much like in mosques.
In front of the Cathedral stands the Baptistery, also Romanesque in style, begun in 1152 by Diotisalvi and completed in the 14th century with the addition of Gothic elements. Cylindrical in shape, made of white marble, and surrounded by arcades on columns, the Baptistery is renowned for its exceptional acoustics. Its interior is quite sober, arranged around a baptismal font. The building is covered by a double dome, which contributes to the overall visual harmony of the monument.
To the north of the square stands the Camposanto, a monumental cemetery begun in 1278. It is surrounded by a marble wall and has an internal structure shaped like a cloister. Many of the frescoes that once adorned its walls were destroyed by fire in 1944. A place for reflection, gathering, and prayer, the Camposanto was built to preserve the "holy land" brought back from Palestine.
The true symbol of Pisa, the Bell Tower or Leaning Tower, completes the scene. The structure, tilted due to a ground subsidence that halted its construction for a long time, was started in 1173, resumed in 1275, and completed in the second half of the 14th century. The tower has a cylindrical structure with blind arcades at the base and six tiers of open loggias rising above, echoing the design of the Cathedral. Inside, a spiral staircase of 294 steps leads to the top of one of the most famous towers in the world, where visitors can admire the bell chamber and the stunning view.