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Home > Italy Travel Guide > Pisa Travel Guide > Knights' Square (Piazza dei Cavalieri)

Knights' Square

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Introduction
History
Location

ATTRACTIONS

Palazzo della Carovana
Palazzo dell' Orologio
Santo Stephano dei Cavalieri

INFORMATION

Links

Introduction

The Knights' Square (Piazza dei Cavalieri) is located at the same place as the forum of the antique Portus Pisanus, as Pisa was called in Roman times. The Piazza dei Cavalieri that we see today is the harmonious and elegant result of the political, artistic and cultural strategies adopted by the Medici family when Tuscany was unified under Florentine power.

History

This square was the political centre in medieval Pisa, where the Pisans used to discuss their problems or celebrate their victories. Also on this square, the emissary of Florence proclaimed the end of the independence of Pisa in 1406. The square was rebuilt in renaissance style by Giorgio Vasari, the famous architect of the grand duke Cosimo I de Medici of Florence.

Location

Address: Piazza dei Cavalieri, I-56100 Pisa, Italy.
Southeast from the Piazza dei Miracoli before you reach the river.

Palazzo della Carovana

The main building on the square is Palazzo della Carovana, the palace of the Knights of St. Stephan. This impressive building catches the eye the moment you enter the square. It was modernised in renaissance style by Giorgio Vasari. The beautiful facade is decorated with sgraffiti, equally by Vasari, above the door, the arms of the Knights of St. Stephen, and busts of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. The building was originally the knights' military training quarters. Now, it houses the Scuola Normale Superiore, the institute of higher education founded by Napoleon in 1810. The Scuola Normale is unique in Italy in that only the best handpicked students are admitted to its courses. Many famous men have studied here, for instance, the first Italian who won the Nobel prize (1906). In front of the palazzo stands the statue of Cosimo I de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.

Palazzo dell' Orologio

In the other corner of the square stands the Palazzo dell' Orologio. For building this Palazzo they used two medieval towers, which were completely integrated in the new building, they were connected with a vaulted passage so not to break the street. This building now used as library, was once used as jail. Here is written a black page of the history of Pisa. In the 13th century, the mayor of Pisa, Count Ugolino della Gherardesca was accused of disloyalty and sent to jail together with his sons and grandsons. He was condemned to death by starvation (the story tells that he has eaten one of his children while in that prison). Like this all the male members of the Ugolino family where exterminated.

Santo Stephano dei Cavalieri

The church of the knights. This church was built in 1565 by Vasari. The clock tower (campanile) and the front are added later on. The elegant marble front was a donation of Giovanni de Medici in 1602. The interior is very richly decorated. There is the beautiful ceiling and the remains of a Tuscan galley and the figure heads. Many of the flags were stolen from the Turks, among the flag of the ship of Ali Pasja, during the famous battle near Lepanto in October 1571. There is also a magnificent organ.

Links

Offical Website of Pisa

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