Pisa

The ship was docked in Livorno and Pisa is some distance away, so we did not have much time. We concentrated on the Piazza del Duomo, where the major buildings are.	The Cathedral Church (Duomo) is Romanesque and was built in the 11th century AD. The use of colored marble and mosaics on the exterior shows a strong Islamic influence.
The inside has a wonderful coffered ceiling as well as mosaics and more colored marble.	The pulpit (14th century) has elaborate carvings and provides a commanding site for the sermon.
The body of St. Rainerius, patron saint of Pisa.	The Baptistery is the largest one in Europe. Like the Leaning Tower, it is sinking and leans towards the Duomo.
The interior is very plain but the acoustics are perfect. While we were there a docent stood in the middle of the floor and sang single notes and the sound reverberated around us.	Although they are not immediately noticeable, the columns are topped with a series of gargoyles.
The Leaning Tower. Yup, it leans. Just like they said.	It actually leans more at the base than it does at the top. It started leaning while it was being built, so the architects tried to make a correction along the way.