The Pisa Cathedral lies next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The cathedral is in the Pisan Romanesque style. It was consecrated in the year 1118 even though incomplete by Pope Geiasio II. It was terminated in the 13th century and has been unchanged up to the present day. The church itself is about 100 meters long and 54 meters high. It is not as sacred as a basilica but is a main church as well as the bishops office.
The Architecture as said above is Pisan Romanesque. It is basically a romanesque stylobate used many different styles such as classical, byzantine, and islamic making it very unique. Having all of these style combined in one building was a demonstration of the power of the markets of Pisa at an international level.
The external style is a little different than other churches in the way the influences are placed in the design. It is full of multi colored marble decorations and mosaics. The arches on the facade recall the muslim influences and Southern Italy as many objects and decorations are a result of war spoils. The bottom section has tall blind arcades with pastel marble inlay and three bronze doors. Above are moorish inspired arcades rising all the way to the top.
The interior of the cathedral is covered with black and white marble with a glided coffered ceiling rich in frescos. The nave has marble pavement all around and the transept crossing is covered by a dome. Most of the paintings within the church were destroyed in a fire yet some survived. Near the pulpit is a low hanging bronze lamp that according to popular myth, Galileo was watching when the law of pendulum occurred to him. Apse is decorated with a huge 13th century mosaic of Christ Pancrator. As said above how may of the decorations outside were a result of war spoils, an example of that would be the corinthian columns between the nave and the apse come from the Mosque of Palermo.
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