According to Gradphysics, Pisa is located west of Florence at the mouth of the Arno River. The symbol of the city is the world-famous bell tower “Leaning Tower” – Torre Pendente. It was built in 1173, its height reaches 54 meters, and its diameter is about 15 meters. Now its deviation from the vertical is 5 meters!
Local authorities are doing everything possible to prevent the tower from falling completely – they freeze the ground at its base with liquid nitrogen or attach a lead counterweight to the tower. Until now, tourists from all over the world dream of looking at the famous “Leaning Tower”, we can say that it is she who “feeds” the city, because the income from visiting this place by vacationers is colossal.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is part of the architectural ensemble that adorns the main square of the city – Square of Miracles. This ensemble also includes the Cathedral of St. Mary and the baptistery. The construction of the cathedral began in the 1080s, led by the architect Busqueto. The most interesting pulpit of the Cathedral is the work of Giovanni Pisano, it is a masterpiece of Pisan sculpture of the 14th century. It is decorated with reliefs with episodes from the New Testament, the Childhood and Passion of Christ, the Last Judgment, the compositions are separated from each other by the figures of the Prophets and the Sibyls.
In Pisa many churches. Church of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen, with the Cross of the Order above the pediment, the coat of arms of the Order of the Knights above the portal and a fine painting of the 17th century by Pisan masters; Church of St. Catherine, built in the 13th century; in the church of Santa Maria della Spina on the embankment of the Arno River, a thorn from the crown of Christ was previously kept; Basilica of San Piero a Grado, where, according to legend, the Apostle Peter landed during his journey from Turkey to Rome. Not far from the city is the Pisa Carthusian monastery, whose interior is dedicated to the Madonna and St. John the Evangelist, and now houses the Museum of History and Art and the Museum of Natural History.
The construction of the University of Pisa began in 1489. It is famous for the fact that Galileo Galilei once studied there.
Pinzolo, Trentino-Alto Adige (Italy)
The Pinzolo ski resort is located in the Dolomiti di Brenta mountains, 16 km south of the resort of Madonna di Campiglio in the Val Rendena valley. Pinzolo is less popular than the “noisy” neighbor, but silence reigns here: there are no crowds of skiers and vibrant nightlife. Together with Madonna di Campiglio, it is part of the vast Skirama Dolomiti ski area, which combines 380 ski slopes and 150 lifts. Skirama Dolomiti also includes such ski resorts in the province of Trentino as Monte Bondone, Folgaria Lavarone, Andalo Fai della Paganella and the resorts of the Val di Sole valley (Folgarida Marilleva, Peio and Passo Tonale).
Pinzolo lies at an altitude of 785 m at the foot of Mount Doss Sabion (2100 m). On the slopes of this mountain, 26 km of trails are laid, 9 lifts operate. The height difference within the resort is 1300 m. Most of the tracks are “blue” and “red”, there is one black track – “Competition”. Its length is 1100 m, the height difference is 300 m. The track was equipped for the annual international competitions in alpine skiing and ski jumping for juniors. Also in Pinzolo there is the Brentapark snow park, about 30 km of flat skiing, including a 3 km trail between Pinzolo and Carisolo, which is equipped with night lighting installations, an ice stadium where you can skate, a swimming pool, an equestrian center, a ski school and a children’s snowpark., both Pinzolo itself, and the nearby villages of Carisolo and Gustino. Pinzolo
is home to the ancient 16th-century church of San Virgilio, where the famous medieval fresco “Dance of Death” has been preserved. In the summer, hikers go to Pinzolo, because the resort is surrounded by the natural park Adamello Brenta, and paragliders. A little north of the resort stretches the Val Genova valley, which, due to the abundance of waterfalls, was nicknamed the “valley of waterfalls”. In addition, in the vicinity of Pinzolo, in the village of Caderzoni, there is a modern thermal center Terme Val Rendena
. It was equipped on the basis of the local ferruginous spring of San Antonio. The mineral waters of the spring are used for drinking treatment for cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, for healing baths that help with skin diseases, arthritis, arthrosis and rheumatism, for inhalation in the treatment of runny noses of various etiologies and lung diseases. Also, visitors are offered various massages, hydromassages and aesthetic treatments. The spa is open all year round.
Ponza, Pontine Islands (Italy)
The Pontine Islands are located in the Tyrrhenian Sea near the Odyssey Coast, which extends into the southern part of the Lazio region. The archipelago consists of several islands and is of volcanic origin. Even during the Roman Empire, these islands were the resting place of wealthy Romans. To this day, the Pontine Islands are considered one of the best places to relax in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Tourist areas with hotels and beaches are located on two islands – Ponza and Ventoten. These are the only inhabited islands in the archipelago. In addition to the resort areas on the islands of Ponza and Ventotene there are several archaeological sites: the remains of prisons where Gaius Julius Caesar, and many centuries later Mussolini, sent political prisoners to exile, the ruins of the Roman villa Guilia, Roman aqueducts, necropolises and the remains of a Roman fish farm. Also from the islands of Ponza and Ventoten you can go on boat trips to the small uninhabited islands of the archipelago.
There is a modern dive center on the island of Ventotene, where exciting dives are offered. While diving, you will see underwater walls, caves, shipwrecks, soft corals, a variety of sponges, and marine life such as conger eels, nudibranch clams and lobsters.
An interesting tiny reserved island Zannon, which is part of Circeo National Park. This is a real bird’s paradise. Migratory bird migration routes run over the island, including coots, cormorants, ospreys, white-tailed eagles, cranes and flamingos.
