Central Italy: Firenze (Florence), Pisa and Siena, Toscana

Toscana (Tuscany) is one of the most beautiful regions in the heart of Italy. It lies along the west coast and covers about 23000 square kilometres, with a population of around 3 1/2 million. It is an important agricultural and industrial centre; its Chianti district is famous for its wines and Tuscan virgin olive oil, so important in its cooking, is Italy's finest. Tuscany has long been an important Italian centre of art and learning. In ancient times, the territory was the home of the Etruscans, a people that probably migrated there from Asia Minor, with a language as yet undeciphered, who built an important civilization before the Romans arrived on the scene.

Florence (Firenze), is the capital of Tuscany, the birthplace of the Renaissance, a period from about 1300 to 1600, when some of the greatest painters, sculptors, and writers in history lived and worked here. In the early 1400's the wealthy Medici family gained control of Florence, and members of the family governed the city almost uninterrupted until 1737. Today Florence can be almost overwhelming because of its wealth of art and culture that seems to be everywhere; it is also one of the most pleasant cities to visit in Italy.

Pisa is an old city of almost 100 000 inhabitants on both banks of the River Arno near the Ligurian sea. It has a university founded in 1343 and an academy of fine arts. The famous astronomer Galileo was born here. The most famous building in Pisa is the Leaning Tower, a 55 metres high bell tower leaning 4.4 metres out of line when measured from the seventh story. Construction of the tower began in 1173 and finished between 1360 and 1370. It was built on unstable soil: the ground beneath the tower already started to sink after the first three stories were built. In 1990 the tower was closed; its lean had been increasing an average of 1.3 mm per year. Engineers stabilized the tower's foundation and straightened it slightly (1 cm) by 1994 to prevent it from collapsing. The tower, or campanile, is part of a complex of three buildings - a baptistery, a church, and the bell tower. Together the three structures form the Cathedral of Pisa, one of the world's most beautiful building groups. Built during the Romanesque period, the three buildings are noted for their colourful marble and decorative arches.

Siena is a beautiful city, built on three hills and surrounded by its old ramparts. It has many beautiful Gothic buildings in "burnt siena", various shades of red-brown. The city, probably founded by the Etruscans, became one of Europe's major centres around the 13th and 14th century. It was a rival to Florence, and defeated the Florentines in the Battle of Montaperdi in 1260; however, the city was occupied by Florentine forces in 1269 and its merchants then ruled Siena. It became an important centre of commerce and art. A reminder of those glorious medieval days is the Palio, a festival that culminates in a bareback horse race around the Piazza del Campo, Siena's magnificent central square.

	View of Florence	Duomo façade	Medici chapel	Ponte Vecchio
	Tower of Pisa	Pisa cathedral	In Pisa's Duomo	Duomo, Siena
	Siena's Duomo	Piazza del Campo	Capella delle Volte	Courtyard, Siena

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