Architectural Geology of Pisa, Part 5: Upper Portions of the Cathedral and Baptistery | Tuscany, Italy
To get this kind of bird's-eye view in the days before the advent of camera-equipped drones, one had to have a tall tower handy. Fortunately, the citizenry of medieval Pisa had proactively built one for me. I truly appreciate that kind of strategic foresight, even if their structure leaned a bit too much for comfort.
This photo faces west. There's the Cathedral's graceful parabolic dome, its roof and clerestory. Just beyond stands the great Baptistery. When first I saw it I assumed, as probably many visitors do, that a roofing-restoration project was in progress. But in fact the piebald pattern of red terra-cotta tiles on the west side and gray lead tiles on the east is a permanent one.
As far as the masonry goes, much of the white-to-light-gray ashlar on both buildings is Monte Pisano Marble, with some Carrara (Apuan) Marble also present. The darker gray striping is apparently the Val di Lima Limestone, originally black but now faded. For these stones' geologic ages and source regions, refer to Part 3 of this set.
Beyond the Baptistry stretches the northern portion of the Arno River floodplain, flat as a chessboard.
To see the other photos and descriptions in this series, visit my Architectural Geology of Pisa album.
Architectural Geology of Pisa, Part 5: Upper Portions of the Cathedral and Baptistery | Tuscany, Italy
To get this kind of bird's-eye view in the days before the advent of camera-equipped drones, one had to have a tall tower handy. Fortunately, the citizenry of medieval Pisa had proactively built one for me. I truly appreciate that kind of strategic foresight, even if their structure leaned a bit too much for comfort.
This photo faces west. There's the Cathedral's graceful parabolic dome, its roof and clerestory. Just beyond stands the great Baptistery. When first I saw it I assumed, as probably many visitors do, that a roofing-restoration project was in progress. But in fact the piebald pattern of red terra-cotta tiles on the west side and gray lead tiles on the east is a permanent one.
As far as the masonry goes, much of the white-to-light-gray ashlar on both buildings is Monte Pisano Marble, with some Carrara (Apuan) Marble also present. The darker gray striping is apparently the Val di Lima Limestone, originally black but now faded. For these stones' geologic ages and source regions, refer to Part 3 of this set.
Beyond the Baptistry stretches the northern portion of the Arno River floodplain, flat as a chessboard.
To see the other photos and descriptions in this series, visit my Architectural Geology of Pisa album.