Culture & History in Pisa

Welcome to the immersive in-app audio tour of the Pisa Tower! Step aboard the medieval Pisan fleet as you embark on a captivating journey through history. Note! This tour DOES NOT include an entrance ticket! Buy it in advance at towerofpisa.org Before you lies a magnificent sight: the awe-inspiring Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, accompanied by the Leaning Tower and other ancient structures. As you explore, you'll encounter the cathedral, adorned with the Baptistery and its bell tower. On the northern side, fragments of the ancient walls grace the landscape, along with the Monumental gate known as Porta del Leone. Keep an eye out for the Camposanto and the Ospedale of Santo Spirito, which complete this remarkable setting. On the opposite side, discover the Sinopie Museum and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The tour commences at the tower, the focal point of our expedition, and continues towards the cathedral and other notable monuments. From the tower's summit, take a moment to immerse yourself in the realms of the past and explore the lesser-known cultural intricacies.

Imagine we suddenly found ourselves sailing on the medieval Pisan fleet — about to be captivated by history. On the horizon: the breathtaking view of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta with the Leaning Tower and other ancient buildings. With this in-app audio tour with a ticket, you'll see the cathedral with the Baptistery and its bell tower. On the north side, there are parts of the ancient walls, the Monumental gate (called Porta del Leone) and the buildings of the Camposanto and the Ospedale of Santo Spirito. On the opposite side you'll find the Sinopie Museum and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The visit starts from the tower, which is the focus of the tour and continues to the cathedral and other monuments. From the top of the tower, just for a moment, you could get lost in time to venture into the lesser-known meanders of culture. Please consider that our path starts from the tower, which we will visit, up to its top. In this tour, we will not go into detail of the other buildings of the square, but we will give a general description, to frame the construction in the historical vision of the square itself.

Once you step out of the vibrant streets of Pisa and catch sight of the Leaning Tower, a renowned symbol portrayed in movies, cartoons, and countless tourist snapshots, you'll comprehend its iconic status. This peculiar structure serves as the bell tower for the nearby Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta. To make the most of your visit to Piazza dei Miracoli, ensure you explore both attractions! Upon entering the piazza, your gaze immediately fixates on the unmistakable tower. However, that's just the beginning of what this place has to offer. Unsurprisingly dubbed the 'Square of Miracles', it has witnessed numerous adversities throughout the history of the Leaning Tower. From its infamously flawed foundation to being utilized as a lookout by the Nazis, the tower's continued existence truly feels miraculous. Once you've marveled at the striking marble façade of the Torre di Pisa, capturing a few playful 'Look at me, I'm holding up the tower!' snapshots, make use of our expedited tickets to ascend the inclined campanile. At its pinnacle, you'll be treated to breathtaking vistas and perhaps even the melodic tolling of its seven bells, each representing a musical note. In 1944, the tower narrowly escaped destruction, saved by its captivating beauty. An American soldier named Sergeant Leon Weckstein was so captivated by its splendor that he resisted calling for an artillery strike on the Nazis using the tower as an observation post.