Hi, are you planning your trip toPisaand want to discover the wonders of this fantastic city and its monuments?
If you want information about the Pisa Cathedral pulpit here you will find what you are looking for!
At the beginning of this article you will find out where the Duomo’s pulpit is located and what its history is, while in the second part of the post you will find a technical description of it and some small curiosities.
Are you ready? Let’s get started!
Wait. Before you start reading the article, a quick word of warning: you should know that Pisa Cathedral, where the pulpit is located, is one of a number of highly visited monuments in the city. In order to get inside the various attractions in the Cathedral Square without running into a very long line, it is always recommended that you purchase your ticket online. Click below to book your admission and get inside Pisa Cathedral, the Leaning Tower and the other monuments in an instant.
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The history of the pulpit in Pisa Cathedral.
The pulpit of Pisa Cathedral, better known as the“pergamum,” is located inside the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, situated in the famous Piazza dei Miracoli. This extraordinary work is considered one of the most celebrated masterpieces of Giovanni Pisano, one of the greatest sculptors of the 14th century.
Originally, in place of the present pulpit, there was another structure made by the master Guglielmo between 1157 and 1162. However, in the 14th century, a period of great wealth and prosperity for Pisa, the citizens decided to equip the cathedral with a new, more elaborate and imposing pulpit. The commission was given to Giovanni Pisano, who began sculpting the work in 1302 and completed it in 1311.
At that time, Pisa exerted significant influence over many lands, including the city of Cagliari in Sardinia. The Pisans thus decided to donate Master Guglielmo’s old pulpit to Cagliari Cathedral. In 1312, in a rare and complex operation for the time, the old pulpit was dismantled, transported by sea and reassembled in its new location.
On October 25, 1596, a terrible fire struck the Cathedral. The roof of the Cathedral, made of lead sheets, was melted down to apply new sheets, as they wanted to prevent rainwater from damaging the wooden structure underneath. During the welding work, one of the cauldrons used to melt the lead caused a fire. The heat caused molten lead to drip onto the walls, destroying precious paintings, rich sculptures and polychrome marble. However, Giovanni Pisano’s pulpit was miraculously saved.
Later, between 1599 and 1601, during restoration work on the cathedral, the pulpit was disassembled and its pieces dispersed to various places, including the Campo Santo and the storerooms of the Opera della Primaziale.
Only in 1926 was the pulpit reassembled again, although probably in a different position than the original.
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Description of the pulpit in Pisa Cathedral
Giovanni Pisano’s work is a perfect example of the religious fervor of the period and its influence on 14th-century art.
The pulpit features an elaborate architectural structure and complex sculptural decoration. The panels that adorn the work are slightly curved and depict the main episodes of the Life of Christ, such as the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Crucifixion, and the Last Judgment. The latter is depicted in two separate panels: that of the Elect and that of the Damned.
The pulpit is a harmonious combination of Gothic and Romanesque styles. The rich columns feature finely carved capitals typical of Romanesque art, while the panels and carved figures, with their expressive richness and sinuous lines, clearly show Gothic influences. The narration in images through these reliefs was intended to educate the faithful, many of whom were illiterate, in the stories of the Old and New Testaments. The pulpit represents one of the most complete and extensive image narrative cycles of the 14th century.
The polygonal structure of the pulpit is enhanced by a decorative apparatus that includes caryatids and telamons, which are the male counterparts of the caryatids. Every available space is filled with a rich sculptural apparatus, in a kind of “horror vacui,” representing the fear of emptiness. Stylophorous lions emerge from the base of the pulpit, while the cardinal virtues are represented alongside mythological figures such as Hercules, creating a fascinating mix of religious and mythological elements.
The pulpit of Pisa Cathedral is thus not only a masterpiece of Gothic and Romanesque art, but also an extraordinary testament to medieval faith and culture, which has stood the test of time and adversity, continuing to tell its story to visitors from around the world.
Interesting facts about the pulpit of Pisa Cathedral.
The pulpit of the Duomo has four columns that are “simpler” than the complicated sculptural composition. These columns were donated by Mussolini after the reconstruction of the pergamum to replace the missing parts.
It seems that, again at Mussolini’s behest, the caryatids were placed at the back, less visible, when in the original design they should have had a frontal and clearly visible position.
Parts of Giovanni Pisano’s pulpit are preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Pulpit of Pisa Cathedral: conclusions
Here we have come to the end of this post on the wonderful pulpit of Pisa Cathedral, one of the most important works sculpted by Giovanni Pisano.
We have looked together at the history of the pulpit’s construction, talked about its artistic significance and the images that make it up.
If you need more information, please leave a comment below; or if you would like to visit the Duomo pulpit, the Camposanto, or other attractions in the Piazza dei Miracoli, buy your entrance ticket by skipping the ticket line at the ticket office.
Tickets for Piazza dei Miracoli
Purchase online. Choose the time of your choice. Discover the Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa Cathedral, the Museo delle Sinopie, and the Leaning Tower.
You can cancel for free up to the day before the visit.
