Italy's unusual towers-Part I

double, decorated, decapitated ....and sometimes leaning

Have you noticed that over-tourism becomes even more unbearable when Italy is enveloped in a seemingly unending heat wave? Hordes of tourists have unwittingly choosen the same weeks to visit so they can check off a “bucket list” of instagramable Italian scenes - with themselves as protagonists.

before Instagram - on the Field of Miracles, Pisa

Being blocked in a crowd, when its 40 degrees centrigrade, will definitely turn what could have been a carefree vacation into a nightmare.

Kudos go to resident expats in Italy who work in the worlds of tourism, travel and journalism for helping visitors enjoy their longed for vacanza italiana by suggesting insider information, alternative ideas and itineraries.

Two important suggestions they will agree on : get started early and get off the beaten tourist routes. Several of them write interesting substacks - so come along, meet some of my fellow expats and hear their stories. Most of us have been here for a long time - 20, 30, 40 years - or more, so we know our way around and are able to make your travels in Italy easier, more rewarding and interesting.

I encourage each of them to leave a comment pointing readers to their substacks or websites.

a wedding at Pisa’s cathedral

A third suggestion from resident expats- your visit to Italy should begin with a period of anticipation and preparation. The more you know about a place -through study, films, videos, reading -the deeper you can appreciate your time here, and live fully immersed in the moment. Here are a few tips to add depth and meaning to Italy’s best known sights - and some “side trips” where you will not find crowds.

You can still find your way around Pisa today using a centuries old printed map - like this one,

Pisa, the Arno and Field of Miracles

…..but not if you use this German incunabula from 1450s designed by someone who had never been to Pisa !

from my map collection

Everyone knows Pisa’s famous leaning tower, the 56 metre high bell tower of Santa Maria Assunta cathedral. When its inclination arrived to 4,5 degrees it was put off limits and complicated restoration works were done between 1990-2001 reducing the inclination to a mere 3,97 degrees. Now experts believe that the tower will remain in its present position for the next three centuries.

It is only one of the monuments in the north-west area of the city known as the Field of Miracles , a concentration of magnificent architecture including the monumental cemetery which is more like a sculpture gallery. Here you will find Fibonacci’s funerary monument, some enormous chains once used to block the Arno from invading pirates and a mysterious fresco cycle by Buffalmacco “The Triumph of Death “. To prepare for your trip to Pisa, check out the highlighted names to enrich your experience by 100%.

The Baptistry is known for its amazing acoustics and the Cathedral and tower are where Galileo performed many scientific experiments. Due to the sandy and clay soils of Pisa there are two other -less famous- leaning bell towers in town: San Nicola and San Michele degli Scalzi.

the facade and bell tower of San Nicola

San Nicola, in the central Via Santa Maria, has been documented since the 10th century and its octagonal bell tower, added in the 13th century, has a slight lean. Mathematicians will love the stone inlay work based on the Fibonacci sequence and the interior spiral staircase that inspired Renaissance architects throughout Italy.

San Michele degli Scalzi, in the eastern part of the city, has a square stone base, and bifore, trifore and quadrifore windows on the tower. Like many other Pisan churches, its facade and tower were decorated with bright Islamic ceramic bowls (now substituted with copies) brought back to Pisa by Crusaders.

12th century Islamic ceramic bowls like those of Pisa’s churches

San Michele’s belltower leans dramatically towards the Arno at a dangerous 5 degrees. At the end of the 1800s a section of the connected monastery was part of the Richard Ginori ceramics factory.

Florence and Pisa are unbearably hot and humid during the summer and most residents escape to their villas in the surrounding hills or go to the seaside. Villa Corliano is one of the nicest historic villas, a short drive outside Pisa. Here during the 1760s Cardinal Henry Stuart was the guest of the Venerosi della Seta family while he took the waters at the nearby spa of San Giuliano. The family still owns the Villa and live there.

Cardinal Stuart’s travel diary can be found in translation and the original Italian in my book “Travels to Tuscany and Northern Lazio” . Just a couple of copies remain but it is available in most international university libraries worldwide.

a few of my historical non fiction books

illustration by Justin Bradshaw, for “Travels to Tuscany and N. Lazio”

The Cardinal’s itinerary included Siena, Orvieto and Viterbo in Northern Lazio. The area, much loved by foreign royalty then and now, is where Henry’s parents, the exiled English King James Stuart and Polish princess Clementina Sobieska, were married in 1719.

Traveling in Italy is a multi-level learning experience, where interesting historical characters lived exciting lives long before our century. Learning about these connections and historic travel, makes a visit to Italy more interesting and valuable. Click on the underlined links to open up new websites that will enrich you with information and photos.

Part II - A double, hidden tower and one belonging to a literary genius -coming next week

If you are coming to Viterbo or Civitavecchia (the port of Rome) check out my audio guides commissioned by VoiceMap for these towns.