It is not by chance that Italy occupies one of the leading places in the ranking of the countries most visited by tourists. Few are trying to compete with it in terms of the number of attractions of all eras, especially since UNESCO confirms the importance of the Apennine Peninsula with very impressive lists of architectural masterpieces. Tuscany stands out among other regions of Italy. Its typical landscapes of hills and cypress groves have driven generations of artists and poets crazy. Home of Chianti, Italian Renaissance and Carrara marble, this region of Italy is famous for its richest cultural heritage. The answer to the question of what to see in Tuscany can be found in travel guides to Pisa and Florence, Lucca and Livorno, Pistoia and Siena - cities where the breath of history is felt at every step, and its heart beats in any stone lying on your way.
TOP 10 attractions of Tuscany
Leaning tower of pisa
The most popular landmark of the region, the leaning tower in Pisa, like a magnet, attracts millions of tourists to Tuscany every year. You can look at the ingenious creation of the architect Bonnano Pisano, who made a mistake in the calculations and thanks to her glorified his own name over the centuries, on the Piazza dei Miracles of Pisa. In addition to the falling bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in the center of Pisa, the cathedral itself, the baptistery and the cemetery are worthy of attention. The architectural ensemble Piazza dei Miracoli is recognized as one of the most magnificent examples of Romanesque architecture of the 11th-13th centuries.
Santa Maria della Spina
A small Gothic church in Pisa on the banks of the Arno River was built in 1230 and was named at the beginning after the nearby New Bridge - Pontenovo. But a hundred years later, a significant event for the parishioners of the church happened. An important relic, the thorn of Christ's crown of thorns, was solemnly transferred to the temple, and the church received its current name.
The most beautiful building in the late Gothic style attracts attention with its grace and fine stone carvings of the facades. Outside, the temple is faced with colored marble plates and decorated with sculptures by prominent masters of the 14th century. The two portals of the western façade are attracting attention with the work of Giovanni Pisano: sculptures of the Madonna and Child and a pair of angels are installed in a double arch.
The interiors are very modest, in contrast to the lavishly decorated facades, and the only decoration of the church is the figure of the Madonna with the Rose, made by Andrea and Nino Pisano in the first half of the 14th century.
Santa Maria del Fiore
In the center of the city's cathedral square in Florence stands the majestic and most famous structure built in the style of the Florentine Quattrocento. The first stone in the construction of the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore was laid in 1296. The task of the architects was to create a temple that could accommodate the entire population of Florence. The dimensions and features of the project are impressive even today:
- The length of the structure reaches 153 m, and the total area is 8300 sq. m. The cathedral looks like a square covered with a dome.
- The height of the vaults is 45 m, and the domes from the inside are 90 m. Its diameter reaches 42 m.
- The walls of the temple are faced with marble panels in green, white and pink shades.
The design and construction of the dome was entrusted to the architect Filippo Brunelleschi, the great master of the Renaissance. The complexity of the task also lay in the fact that the work was carried out at a high altitude. The architect had to come up with adaptations that made it possible to bring the project to life.
Since the Middle Ages, the red dome has been called the symbol of Florence and the most important landmark of Tuscany.
Campanile Giotto
The bell tower of the cathedral in Florence is a striking example of Florentine Gothic. Its sculptural decoration demonstrates a mixture of trepidation with monumentality, and the color scheme of the cladding of the campanile makes it seem to be painted against the blue sky of Tuscany. If you dare to climb the 414 steps, you can look at Florence from the bell tower. However, the result is worth it, and the views from the observation deck are amazing.
The campanile has been under construction for 60 years. The first stone in its foundation was laid in 1298 by Arnolfo di Cambio, then the construction was supervised by Giotto di Bondone, and the work was completed successively by Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti.
The campanile is named after Giotto, although the greatest sculptor managed to build only its lower tier. It is decorated with bas-reliefs on three sides. The followers adhered to Giotto's project, which provided for the cladding of the bell tower with various types of marble. The red came from Siena, the green came from Prato, and the classic white came from the quarries of Carrara.
Uffizi Gallery
If you consider yourself a fan of painting and sculpture of the Middle Ages, you should look at the collection of the Uffizi Gallery - one of the most famous museums not only in Tuscany, but throughout Europe. Created in 1765 at the behest of Duke Cosimo I de Medici, the gallery was designed to preserve priceless works. The atmosphere of the heyday of the Florentine Renaissance contributed to the development of various arts, and the masterpieces of Leonardo and Michelangelo appeared in the exhibition halls of the Uffizi Gallery. The collection was replenished with precious stones and old coins, antique statues and valuable ceramic vases, icons and miniatures.
The most famous exhibits of the Uffizi Gallery are "Spring" and "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli, "Annunciation" and "Adoration of the Magi" by Leonardo da Vinci and "Venus of Urbino" by Titian.
Cathedral of Saint Martin in Lucca
The duomo of the city of Lucca was founded in the 6th century, but it acquired its present appearance after rebuilding at a later time. It was consecrated in honor of Martin of Tours in 1070. The temple is located in the center of the city and looks very impressive against the background of other buildings that have preserved the medieval charm of Lucca.
The most notable relics of the cathedral are the labyrinth, carved in stone at the entrance, and the collection of Civitali sculptures. Outstanding sculptor of the 15th century Tuscan school. sculpted for Duomo Lucca an ark for storing a miraculous cypress crucifix, a statue of St. Sebastian, a pulpit decorated with stone carvings, an altar dedicated to St. Regulus, and figures of two kneeling angels in the chapel of the Holy Sacraments.
An example of Romanesque architecture built from Carranian marble. Its bell tower, which rises to 27 meters, is considered the hallmark of Lucca.
Piazza del Campo
It is not for nothing that the central square of Siena is called one of the pearls of medieval architecture. The facades of old palazzo and mansions overlook it, and the Torre del Mangia tower is considered the architectural dominant of the square and the entire city. This structure is the record holder for the height not only in the city, but throughout Tuscany. You can get a bird's eye view of the city by climbing 400 feet of a narrow winding staircase. The height of Torre do Mangia is 102 m, which is 8 m higher than that of the Palazzo Vecchio tower in Florence.
Another attraction of the main square of Siena is the Fountain of Joy, decorated at the beginning of the 15th century by the sculptor Jacopo della Quercia. The original sculptures of the Virgin Mary and Child, angels, seven Virtues and reliefs "The Expulsion from Paradise" and "The Creation of Adam" are now kept in the museum of the Palazzo Publiko, and the fountain is decorated with copies of the 19th century.
Siena cathedral
The most important monument of Italian Gothic, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Siena was built in the first half of the 13th century. On the plan, its shape resembles a Latin cross. The dome of the cathedral rests on an octagonal base and is supported by columns. The domed lantern was designed and executed by the famous architect and sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini. He owns the honor of creating the project for St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
The interior and exterior of the walls of the Duomo of Siena is made of marble. The heraldic colors of the Siena Republic are highlighted by black and white marble slabs. The floor of the church is lined with skilful mosaics, and the pulpit by Nicolo Pisano and the statue of John the Baptist by Donatello have remained the main decoration of the interior for several centuries.
The cathedral's museum contains especially valuable relics - stained glass windows created by the Florentine painter Cimabue, who worked in the proto-Renaissance style in the second half of the 13th century, and Duccio's Maesta, which is called the harbinger of the Renaissance.
Towers of San Gimignano
The small town of San Gimignano in Tuscany is famous for its medieval towers that soared into the sky for several tens of meters. Thousands of tourists come to see the "skyscrapers" that appeared in San Gimignano in the XI-XIV centuries.
The tallest surviving one and a half dozen monumental structures is called Torre Grossa. Built from 1300 to 1311, the 54-meter observation deck at the top of the tower offers magnificent views of the Tuscan landscape.
The stonework, the pyramidal roof over the bell resting on hanging arches, narrow loophole windows - everything has been preserved on Torre Grossa practically unchanged since the time when Dante Alighieri visited San Gimignano.
The historical center of the city is taken under the protection of UNESCO. In addition to the towers, the cathedral church of the 12th century is worthy of attention of tourists. with frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio and the Palazzo Popolo, where the municipality sits and the masterpieces of the masters of the Florentine Renaissance school are exhibited.
Tuscany National Park
The largest national park in the Mediterranean, the Tuscan Archipelago covers more than 560 sq. km of the sea surface and stretches for 170 km of the coast. All of its islands have unique natural features and are different in geological characteristics, but on each one can find representatives of flora and fauna that are especially protected or belong to the endangered list.
The park's headquarters is based on the Elbe. In the town of Portoferraio, you can book an excursion, get reference materials, find a guide, and find a hotel or camping site in which to stay in various parts of the park.
