Façade of Pisa Cathedral: Description, History, Works, What to See

Are you planning to visit the city of Pisa and looking for information about the beautiful facade of Pisa Cathedral? You are in the right place!

In this post you will find a description of the facade of the Cathedral of the Square of Miracles, its history, what times you can visit it, how to get to this monument, and the price of the ticket to access it.

We will look together at the materials and the many craftsmen who took turns in the construction of this beautiful attraction.

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Wait. Before you start reading the article, here’s a quick tip: If you want to access the attractions in Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), it is recommended that you buy your ticket online to avoid long lines. This way, you can enter the places you want to visit by skipping the tedious lines. Click below to book your admission and enter Pisa Cathedral with ease.

Façade of the Cathedral of Pisa

The Cathedral of Pisa, a Romanesque masterpiece, is a testament to the economic and naval power of the maritime republic of Pisa during the Middle Ages.

The entire building of the Cathedral and the facade itself are clear evidence of its cosmopolitan character and spirit: it is a crossroads of cultures and craftsmen, alternating architecture of Muslim, Romanesque , and a revival of ancient proportions andarchitecture.

Description of the facade of the Pisa Cathedral

The present façade, the work of architect Rainaldo, is greatly inspired by the previous one,realized by Buschetto, especially the widely used overlapping loggias ,are also called “Buschettian loggias.”

Rainaldo made the new facade predominantly of white marble,giving the Cathedral its distinctive niveous appearance.

Another material used in the construction is black marble that intersperses white marble and gray marble in places.

The Cathedral is a combination of cosmopolitan styles and influences: the loggets decorating the exterior are a revival of the Lombard tradition, the numerous carvingsand the structure of the dome are of Arab taste and tradition, with which the Pisans probably came in contact during the Expedition to Sicily.

The juxtaposition of building materials used in the exterior is varied, but the materials at the base of the Cathedral, in places sunk into the ground, are poorer than the fine materials of the facade.

The rich decoration and opulence of the polychrome materials of the facade are developed on seven blind arcades, Corinthian capitals of classical taste adorn the building. Polychrome marble inlays stretch between the arches.

The first element to stand out on the facade are the three imposing bronze portals, the work of several craftsmen; the doors are sprinkled with lunettes and more recent mosaics.

Initially the two side doors on the facade were made of wood, but after the fire of 1595 they were replaced.

The facade is articulated on a succession of loggias and cornices, the portals represent an early departure from the Byzantine artistic tradition.

The bronze port als present a rich narrative language that unites them with the portal at the rear facing the Leaning Tower; in fact, the door of San Ranieri represents the ancient entrance to the cathedral and collects numerous biblical scenes from the Life of Christ, such as the Annunciation, the Visit to the Virgin, the Flight into Egypt the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Baptism of Christ in the waters of the Jordan, the Adoration of the Magi, Visitation, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Temptations in the Wilderness, the Resurrection of Lazarus, the Entrance into Jerusalem, the Last Supper and the Betrayal of Judas, the Crucifixion and Resurrection, and the Death of the Virgin.

The panels on the portals are greatlyinfluenced by the Byzantine influence while presenting stylistic and narrative languages characteristic ofRomanesque art.

The bronze panels of the portals were made by Bonanno Pisano, a sculptor from Pisa.

The doors were considerably damaged by the fire of 1595; several artists, including Gianbologna, worked on their restoration and rebuilding; these are distinguished by a late Mannerist taste.

The sculptural apparatus adorning the facade consists of a Madonna and Child by Andrea Pisano and the four evangelists sculpted by Giovanni Pisano.

Those on the facade are copies; the originalsare preserved and can be visited at the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.

History of the facade of the Pisa Cathedral

The history of the facade of Pisa Cathedral begins with the construction of the Duomo. The rich decoration of the facade and the construction of this imposing monument were made possible by the spoils obtained from the expedition to Sicily, culminating in 1063 with the Plunder of Palermo.

The Pisans, after a long fight against the Saracens who ruled Palermo, succeeded in plundering the galleys loaded with merchandise in the harbor and the villas near the mouth of the Oreto River.

A tenth part of this huge loot was earmarked for the construction of the imposing Pisa Cathedral.

The first facade of the Cathedral was built by Buscheto, a young architect of probable Byzantine origin, as evidenced by the many Byzantine influences visible in the exterior of the Cathedral.

In 1100 work began to replace the old facade, which lasted for about 80 years.

The changes to the facade of the cathedral are the work of Rainaldo, architect and master builder, who took up some of the motifs of the earlier Buscheto facade.

Useful info: hours and prices

Cathedral Hours

Pisa Cathedral is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Mass is celebrated at 8 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Monday through Saturday while Sundays are celebrated at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The best time to visit the Cathedral is lunchtime because of the low attendance of tourists.

Entry to the monuments is allowed until 30 minutes before closing.

Piazza Dei Miracoli always remains open to the public even when the monuments are closed.

Where to eat near Pisa Cathedral

Want to try an authentic Italian pasta?

A stone’s throw from the Leaning Tower of Pisa on the Lungarno in Vicolo dei Tidi you’ll find Primo, you’ll just have to choose the quantity, the format from a wide variety: spaghetti, linguine, cellentani, penne rigate…

Then of course you’ll have to choose the sauce and the accompaniment from the most common tomato sauce to eggplant cream, cherry tomatoes, smoked provolone, mushrooms, zucchini cream, guanciale, sage pesto, pumpkin cream, rosemary pesto, speck, without forgetting the classic traditions such as carbonara.

A quick and inexpensive lunch break that gets everyone on board with meat, fish and vegetable options.

Absolutely recommended!

Where to sleep near Pisa Cathedral

If you would like to stay overnight near Pisa Cathedral and take in spectacular views of the Piazza dei Miracoli, here are some excellent options to consider:

• Residenza d’Epoca Relais I Miracoli: Located just 70 meters from the Leaning Tower, this residence offers a historic atmosphere and elegant rooms.
• Hotel Pisa Tower: About 150 meters from the Pisa Tower, this hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with views of the tower itself.
• Grand Hotel Duomo Pisa: Just a 2-minute walk from Piazza del Duomo and the Leaning Tower, this hotel offers a rooftop bar and rooftop terrace with city views.

These facilities are all located in the Piazza dei Miracoli area, providing easy access to Pisa’s main attractions.

Nearby attractions

Are you in Piazza dei Miracoli and want to know what other monuments you can visit besides the Cathedral?

Next to the Cathedral you can find the famous Leaning Tower that was originally supposed to be the Bell Tower of the Cathedral.

Other monuments in Piazza Dei Miracoli are the Camposanto, which houses the tombsof various personalities from Pisa’s cultural, economic and military history and numerous cycles of frescoes.

In Piazza Dei Miracoli you can see the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo and the Museo delle Sinopie. Opposite the entrance to the Duomo is the Baptistery.

Pisa Cathedral tickets

Tickets are available to visit all monuments (excluding the Tower) at a cost of 15€. This ticket also includes admission to the Cathedral.

Cumulative tickets to visit the monuments in the square range from 15€ to 42€, depending on the monuments you wish to visit and whether a guided tour is added. All tickets include admission to the Cathedral.

I recommend that you buy the ticket for the guided tour that includes the Tower of Pisa, the Cathedral and the Baptistery. Below is a list of all the tickets available to visit the different attractions.

Cathedral of the Square of Miracles Pisa: conclusions

Here we come to the end of this post on the extraordinary facade of the Pisa Cathedral, one of the wonders of Piazza Dei Miracoli.

We have seen together its history, the materials with which it was built and its architecture.

We looked at restaurants to eat at and hotels to stay in, how to get there, where to park, and how to buy tickets online.

If you need more information, leave a comment below; or if you would like to visit the Duomo, Camposanto or other attractions in the Piazza dei Miracoli, buy your entrance ticket by skipping the ticket line at the ticket office.