HiPEAC 2010: Surroundings and Tuscany

Cities of art in Tuscany


The city of Pisa is close to many other important and famous cities in Tuscany such as Florence (80 km) and Lucca (20 km) and other minor centres of great beauty such as Cinque Terre (80km), in Liguria. All these cities can be easily reached by public transportation or by car. The immediate surrounding region is, however, very rich in lesser known natural and artistict treasures, which well deserve to be discovered and appreciated during your holiday in Pisa.

Florence keeps an exceptional artistic heritage which is a marvellous evidence of its aged culture. Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived in Florence as well as Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, renewers of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio forefathers of the Renaissance, Ghiberti and the Della Robbias, Filippo Lippi and Angelico Botticelli, Paolo Uccello and the universal genius of Leonardo and Michelangelo.
Great monuments are the landmarks florentine artistic culture: the Baptistry with its mosaics; the Cathedral with its sculptures, the medieval churches with bands of frescoes; public as well as private palaces: Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Palazzo Davanzati; monasteries, cloisters, refectories; the “Certosa”. In the archeological museum you will find plenty of documents of Etruscan civilization.




Lucca (20km), among the “State Towns” of Tuscany, is the only town which could maintain its indipendence till 1847. Its historical centre is surrounded by “the Walls” (XVI-XVII Cent.), having a perimeter of Km. 4250 with 10 bastions, and the terraces partly preserved. In the medieval town surronded by walls, artistic and historic monuments stand out, as the Roman Amphiteatre, The Basilica of San Frediano, The Square and the Church of St. Michele , The Cathedral of St. Martino with the “Holy face” and the Tomb of “Ilaria del Carretto” engraved by “Jacopo della Quercia”, the Guinigi Tower, Fillungo Road, the Ducale Palace in Napoleon square, last evidences of the Principato of Lucca.



Volterra (65 km) , is one of the main centres of the Etruscan civilization of which you can find a lot of testimonies. It is worth visiting the “Guarnacci Museum” as well as “Priori Palace”, the “Arch Gate”, the “Cathedral” and the “Roman Theatre”.



San Gimignano (65 km) , It is the city of the beautiful towers. In the medieval centre rises the highest “Rognosa Tower” next to the “People Palace”, not far from it there are “La Collegiata” and “Sant’Agostino” church





Siena (140 km) is an international centre of culture, with a University aged 750 and great Istitutions as the Chigiana Music Accademy, the University for Foreigners, “The Accademia dei Fisiocratici”,” The Accademia degli Intronati”. This is the town where any single “stone” has remained unchanged over the centuries, the atmosphere is unique for everything bear witness to ancient past which is still alive in the celebrations for “Palio” taking place every year with renewed enthusiasm.






Some links about Tuscany