Pisa’s Holy Field…

Jul
2013
31

posted by on History & Culture

 
The monumental cemetery of Pisa

The monumental cemetery of Pisa – photo by sluzzelîn

Pisa may be very well known for a certain leaning tower, but this Tuscan city is home to much more than that. As well as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, one of the most visited attractions in Pisa, Italy, is the Campo Santo Monumentale, or the Monumental Cemetery. This cemetery, which literally translates as ‘Holy Field’, can be found on the famous Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. But what is so special about this particular cemetery?

The Campo Santo in Pisa is enclosed by a large, oblong Gothic cloister, which was raised in 1278, and the cemetery itself was actually completed in 1464. This site is known for having a long and intriguing history and is actually claimed to be built on sacred soil which was brought to Pisa in the 12th century. Legend has it that this ‘super’ soil really plays its part in the decomposition process… possibly even a little too well! It’s believed that bodies buried in this ground will rot in just 24 hours. Probably best not to find out if this is true or not!

The main architect who constructed this site was Giovanni di Simone; the same man responsible for the leaning tower during its later stages. The Campo Santo quickly became the burial place ‘of the moment’ with Pisa’s upper class, and remained that way for several centuries. As well as being a popular place to be buried, the Campo Santo was home to some truly incredible frescoes. The first ones were done in 1360, and others continued to be painted over the next 3 centuries.

Many of the frescoes, such as The Last Judgement and The Triumph of Death were contributed to Buonamico Buffalmacco (somewhat of a mouthful!), and others to Andrea Bonaiuti and Benozzo Gozzoli. Sadly, during the Second World War, the Monumental Cemetery was bombed and a lot of damage was done. However, a huge restoration project subsequently took place, and you can still enjoy many examples of beautiful medieval and Renaissance artwork. Furthermore, there is also a large collection of Roman sarcophagi, as well as both Roman and Etruscan sculptures and urns to feast your eyes on.

As well as a whole host of other tours in Tuscany, we also have a great selection of Pisa tours for you to choose from. These tours include visits to the Piazza dei Miracoli, as well as excursions to the beautiful surrounding countryside. So make sure that a visit to Pisa is on your list of things to do in Tuscany!

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