Pisa - Not To Be Missed
Pisa - Not To Be Missed By Carolyne Kauser-Abbott My last visit to Pisa was in the 1980s, a quick train trip from Florence to allow for a few photos of the famous Leaning Tower or Campanile (bell tower for the cathedral) and then a hasty retreat back to the Tuscan capital. I will admit that my memory may be a bit fuzzy, but at that time the tower was interesting, the grounds were crowded and the rest of the site under-promoted. Things have changed in Pisa, since my last visit. The Leaning Tower and the rest of the site were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The tower remains today on the National Geographic "7 Wonders of the Middle Ages" list. Visitor access to the tower had been stopped years ago to prevent further erosion; it is now open on a limited basis. Today the not-for-profit Opera Della Primaziale Pisana (OPA) manages the whole site. Visitors are able to walk around the buildings in "Miracle Square", however, you can only gain access to th...