Pisa, University city in Tuscany, Italy
Pisa is a city in Tuscany that extends along both sides of the Arno River, with medieval walls enclosing its historical center a few kilometers inland from the Ligurian coast. Streets lead from the riverbanks to open squares where churches, palaces, and low residential buildings form a continuous urban fabric from past centuries.
After its founding as a Roman colony in the 2nd century BCE, the settlement grew into a maritime power controlling trade in the western Mediterranean until the 13th century. The decline of sea routes shifted importance inland, reinforcing its role as a center of learning through the university.
Students from different countries bring energy to the streets near the university, while locals gather in cafés along the riverbanks in the evening. Families and cyclists move through the narrow lanes at a calm pace, giving daily life a relaxed and neighborly rhythm.
The main train station south of the center offers connections to Florence, Rome, and Genoa, while the international airport west of the city serves several European destinations. The center is easy to explore on foot, and many visitors rent bicycles to move between different neighborhoods.
The square of the cathedral contains four large structures built with white marble, including the cathedral, the baptistery, the bell tower, and a monumental cemetery. The leaning tower tilts because of the soft ground beneath, a problem that became visible during construction in the Middle Ages.
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