Posted under Italy
Every country has an Eiffel Tower – a sight that simply must be seen, even if it is out of your way. In the States, we have the Statue of Liberty; India has the Taj; Kenya the Serengeti and China the Great Wall. In Italy, you must see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
We set out early from Florence and rolled into Pisa by midmorning. The tour groups were already out in force and we followed an Asian herd from the parking lot to the magnificent Piazza dei Miracoli. Most people don’t know that the Piazza dei Miracoli is one of the loveliest in Europe with a manicured green lawn and two stunning Romanesque buildings in addition to the Leaning Tower: the Baptistry and the Cathedral. The entire picture is simply dazzling.
The Leaning Tower, which was designed as a bell tower for the Cathedral, began to lean even before it was completed. Shifting soil is the most widely suspected cause. In 1998, the ever-increasing lean was halted to 4.1 meters and successfully reinforced.
We made a slow lap around the piazza, snapping the requisite cheesy photos. I recall thinking that the view must be equally magnificent at night but what the Piazza dei Miracoli is missing are the outdoor cafés that surround every other piazza in Italy. The piazza would be a gorgeous venue for a moonlit cocktail but, sadly, there is not a single café in the square, just lines of tacky souvenir carts pushing Pisa shirts, Pisa hats, Pisa calendars, key chains and lamps. So instead of concluding our visit with a deliciously overpriced lunch in view of the Leaning Tower, we stopped off at McDonalds – old faithful – on our way out of town.
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