Sighseeing
Cattedrale di San Martino
The local Duomo is a strikingly beautiful example of Pisan-Lucchese Romanesque architecture. The cathedral's frontage is decorated with three stories of long-lined small columns. Behind them are situated three tiers of arcaded loggias on each story. The stunning façade is work of Guidetto da Como, who however, could not entirely complete it and presently it lacks the top loggia and a tympanum. Underneath the façade, the doorway's arches are beautifully carved.
The Duomo's Romanesque
Set adjacent the Duomo, this elegant Romanesque 12th century structure is one of the city's special sights. Latest excavations have discovered that the structure is built over an ancient Lombardian churh, which is considered to have been built in the early 8th century. The story however goes further as this 8th century church is believed to have been built over another much older one, dating probably to the fifth century A.D., which in turn was constructed on the setting of an ancient Roman temple.
Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Mansi
This museum is worth the admission price. The National Museum of Palazzo Mansi accommodates incredibly lavish sets of tapestries, frescoes and decors, the oldest dating back to the 16th century. Although the collection is not very comprehensive, it includes such spectacular pieces such as Giordano's "San Sebastian" and the coloured "Scipio" by Beccafumi. Among the other must-sees are "Tobias and the angel" by Vignale and Rutilio Manetti's "Triumph of David".
Piazza Anfiteatro
Set close to the north end of via Fillungo, Piazza Anfiteatro is surrounded by a band of houses, which were constructed during the Medieval times into the remainders of a 2nd century A.D. Roman amphitheatre. The site was afterwards used as a quarry, and it was here where the city took its raw materials from, for the construction work. The space is surrounded by lazy cafes and several shops. The amphitheatre floor is 10 feet beneath, yet it is possible to make a tour around the outside edge of the square and see the old arcade and the other Roman ruins.
San Michele in Foro
The strikingly beautiful San Michele in Foro dates back to the 12th century and is built in a typical Romanesque style. Its lovely columned façade is decorated with blind arches at its lower part and the baby columns up are piled up even higher than those of San Martino Cathedral are. The spectacular façade, with its lines of stubbornly individual columns, on top of which stands a Romanesque statue of Saint Michele, however hides a rather dull interior, with almost nothing to catch our interest. Yet, the exterior definitely makes up for that.
