Pisa is situated on the right-hand bank of the mouth of the River Arno; it is also the capital of the province of Pisa. Like most of Italy, is has warm to hot summers with mild to cool winters, the average summer temperature ranges from 21 to 29 degrees. Although the city is famous for the leaning tower of Pisa, it actually is home to over 20 other historical sites and buildings as well.
Probably by far the biggest tourist attraction in the city, the tower is actually a freestanding bell tower for the cathedral. The height of the tower is 55.86 meters on the low side and 56.70 meters on the high side. Construction of the tower was done in stages over 177 years; the first phase was in 1173, but was stopped in 1178, when the structure began to sink on one side due to poor foundations and unstable subsoil.
In 1272 construction began again and in order to balance out the lean of the building the upper floors were made with one side taller than the other, so the tower actually has a curve to it. The tower was finally completed in 1372 when the bell-chamber was added. Over recent years it has undergone some structural strengthening and the lean of the tower has gone from 5.5 degrees to only 3.99 degrees. There are 296 steps on the south side and 294 steps on the north-facing staircase; this is due to the curve that was built in to compensate for its tilt.
The Santa Maria della Spina is a small church that was built in 1230. It was built in a fantastic Gothic style and it was taken apart and moved in 1871 due to water from the Rover Arno that caused some minor damage to it. However, during the rebuilt the structure was altered ever so slight.
The church of San Paolo a Ripa d'Arno was founded in 952 and expanded in the 12th century; it is annexed to the Romanesque Chapel of St Agatha. There is also the Church of San Nicola, built in 1097 and the church of St. Francis, built in the late 1200’s.
The Museo di storia naturale e del territorio dell' Universitŕ di Pisa is located just outside the city in the Certosa di Calci and is home to the largest collection of cetacean skeletons in all of Europe. The Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti per il Calcolo is home to many instruments, such as compass that probably belong to Galileo Galilei and pneumatic machine of Van Musschenbroek.
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