Campanile di San Nicola / St. Nicolas Belfry (Pisa)
N 43° 43.013 E 010° 23.787
32T E 612490 N 4841375
Campanile di San Nicola (St. Nicolas Belfry), located in historical centre of Pisa, is the second most famous in the city after the main Pisan touristic target - the Leaning Tower...
Waymark Code: WM7D9J
Location: Toscana, Italy
Date Posted: 10/08/2009
Views: 7
Campanile di San Nicola is belfry of the nearby church of St. Nicholas (Chiesa di San Nicola). The octagonal bell-tower with pyramidal roof is a real masterpiece of the Pisan-Romanesque style - it is placed at the left of the church and in the best Pisan tradition it leans owing to the soil’s instability.
The bell tower was built in 1170, although there are no proofs, but only hypothesis. Campanile di San Nicola is work of famous Pisan architect Diotisalvi, who was also author of the Leaning Tower. The bell-chamber instead is hexagonal with one window in every side. Beautiful polychrome effect of the tower was obtained by using different types of stone - limestone, Apuan marble (columns) and Elba granite. The interior of the bell-tower has an interesting winding staircase, with a wall only on the external part (...unlikely the Leaning Tower of Pisa). This staircase were lately used by architect Donato Bramante as a model for several of his works.