Pisa Cathedral

Pisa Cathedral (Duomo di Pisa) is the Romanesque cathedral at the heart of Pisa’s Piazza dei Miracoli, built beginning in 1063 as the seat of the archbishop and consecrated in the early 12th century. It is a principal example of Pisan Romanesque architecture.

The cathedral’s exterior features tiered marble arcades and a sculpted façade that faces the square; the interior is a spacious basilica plan with a nave, aisles and an elevated mosaic-decorated apse. Architectural and decorative elements include marble inlays, mosaic panels in the apse and richly carved stonework in chapels and portals.

The cathedral is frequently visited together with the adjacent Baptistery and the famous freestanding campanile, the Leaning Tower, which together form the Piazza dei Miracoli ensemble that draws most visitors to the site.

Constructed in the 11th century as part of Pisa’s maritime republic-era building program, the cathedral was expanded and decorated over subsequent centuries, reflecting the city’s wealth and artistic connections. It has undergone restorations to address structural concerns and preserve mosaics and stonework.

Sited in the Piazza dei Miracoli on the northern edge of Pisa’s historic center, the cathedral is immediately adjacent to the Baptistery and the campanile and is a short walk from the city’s railway station.

• Date and setting: Construction began in 1063 and the cathedral was consecrated in the early 12th century; it forms the central building of the Piazza dei Miracoli UNESCO site alongside the Baptistery and the Campanile.