Florence

Day 7: Leaning Tower of Pisa

by
The Leaning Tower of Pisa

There are just a handful of landmarks that are intertwined with the identity of a place. The Great Wall of China. The Statue of Liberty. The Eiffel Tower. And the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

On our last day in Florence, we took a day trip out to Pisa to see one of the world’s great architectural follies. Construction on the grand tower began in 1173, but stopped just a few years in as the first three tiers began to list. Pisa’s artisans started again 100 years later, but could never solidify the foundation, built atop soft sand and clay. To compensate for the lean, the builders created a subtle curve in the remaining tiers.

The tower continued to sink as the centuries passed. By the 1990s, it had a five degree lean and was in danger of collapsing. To bring the tower back to its original lean, workers excavated more than 70 tons of soil from the north side, effectively sinking it back to “level.” The solution is expected to preserve the structure for another 300 years.

In person, the lean of the tower is far more impressive than in photos. The flag atop the tower is perpendicular to the ground and the neighboring Baptistry (which leans 51 cm itself) provide a baseline to see how far off-plumb it really is.

The quintessential Pisa photo is the “holding up the tower” shot. Watching all the tourists holding contorted positions and balancing precariously on posts and rails, all for the perfect shot, is part of the experience.

The neighboring Baptistry provides a point of comparison to show the amount of lean in the tower.
The neighboring Baptistry provides a point of comparison to show the amount of lean in the tower.
From this angle, the "banana curve" of the tower can be seen. The original builders attempted to compensate for the tilted base by curving the remaining tiers.
From this angle, the “banana curve” of the tower can be seen. The original builders attempted to compensate for the tilted base by curving the remaining tiers.
Close-up of the base. The tower began to list after the first three tiers were built due to the unstable sand and clay soil under the foundation.
Close-up of the base. The tower began to list after the first three tiers were built due to the unstable sand and clay soil under the foundation.
Holding up the tower is a lot of work. That's why the tourists take turns.
Holding up the tower is a lot of work. That’s why the tourists take turns.
Imagine this scene without the tower...
Imagine this scene without the tower…
The tower's neighbors in Campo del Miracola, the Duomo and Baptistry, are also slightly crooked at 25 cm and 51 cm respectively.
The tower’s neighbors in Campo del Miracola, the Duomo and Baptistry, are also slightly crooked at 25 cm and 51 cm respectively.
Back in Florence to finish the day, we walked through the south part of town and across the Ponte Vecchio bridge. The bridge is lined with shops on both sides. Originally butcher shops, they now host jewelry and clothing shops.
Back in Florence to finish the day, we walked through the south part of town and across the Ponte Vecchio bridge. The bridge is lined with shops on both sides. Originally butcher shops, they now host jewelry and clothing shops.

More Photo of the Day posts from our January-March 2016 trip to Europe

Day 5: Michelangelo’s David

by
There are a ton of amazing sights and experiences in Florence, but our first day was all about seeing David. Michelangelo's iconic statue of a naked David after slaying Goliath stands in the heart of the Galleria dell'Accademia. The museum was originally intended to be the quintessential collection of the Master's work, but in the end, it only contains a few of Michelangelo's unfinished works and, of course, David.

After four wonderful days in Rome, we moved north to Florence. Known by the locals as Firenze, the town is like stepping into a Renaissance time machine.

There are a ton of amazing sights and experiences in Florence, but our first day was all about seeing David. Michelangelo’s iconic statue of a naked David after slaying Goliath stands in the heart of the Galleria dell’Accademia. The museum was originally intended to be the quintessential collection of the Master’s work, but in the end, it only contains a few of Michelangelo’s unfinished works and, of course, David.

We arrived before the tour groups, giving us a good 30 minutes with David unencumbered by other visitors. We took a ton of photos, then just sat and observed the craftsmanship. The joints and striations of the muscles and tendons are impeccable, as are the details of the veins bulging from his hands and arms. The proportions are near perfect, although his hands and feet seem a little large.

Then there his, well, manhood. It’s the primary feature by which people recognize the work. And it’s prominent. The statue is elevated on a marble base, so it’s front and center in every photo. At the time, you don’t give it much thought, but after we got back to the hotel and started looking at some of the pics, we couldn’t help but giggle a bit.

Click any photo in the gallery to see a larger version and start a slideshow view

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is one of Florence's most popular landmarks. Built in the 1400s, it's one of Italy's largest churches and certainly doesn't fit in a single photo frame!
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is one of Florence’s most popular landmarks. Built in the 1400s, it’s one of Italy’s largest churches and certainly doesn’t fit in a single photo frame!

More Photo of the Day posts from our January-March 2016 trip to Europe