PISTOIA

PISTOIA This was an ancient Roman and medieval city and, although unjustly neglected by visitors, is no less enchanting in atmosphere or impressive in architecture than Lucca and Pisa. There is a group of splendid Romanesque and Gothic churches, the most important of which, San Paolo, appears before us as soon as we enter the city and go down Via di Porta Carratica. To the left, in Piazza Garibaldi, stands the 14° century church of S. Domenico (inside, numerous sculptures and 14° century frescoes). Frome here we quickly come to San Giovanni Fuorcivitas (12° century), with its marvelous white and green marble facing and, inside, the famous Pergamo, or pulpit (1270), by Guglielmo di Pisa. Continuing to the left, we pass by the Renaissance church of the Madonna dell'Umiltà, with its elegant Porch, and come to Sant'Andrea. The gem of Pistoian architecture, it contains Giovanni Pisano's masterpiece: a Pulpit (1301) even more beautiful than that in Pisa. We then go to the Piazza del Duomo, with one of the most severe and elegant cathedrals in Italy, and the solid Palazzo Pretorio (1367) standing next to the 14° century Baptistery, before which rises the Bell-Tower (13° century) contrived out of what was once a Longobard tower.  
Then there is the Cathedral (12° century), its impressive facade ornamented with arcading and a portico, while inside are numerous sculptures and paintings, the most important being a Madonna by Verrocchio (1485). Across from the Palazzo Pretorio is the handsome Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), also Gothic, which housed an interesting Municipal Museum (picture gallery, numismatic and archaeological collections) now in Palazzo Marchetti. Walking through the streets in the centre of town, with their beautiful buildings, we come to the Ospedale del Ceppo beyond the Cathedral, with its handsome Florentine Renaissance portal (1514) and its lively terracotta Frieze by the Della Robbias. From here we go on to the church of San Bartolomeo in Pantano to see the exquisite Pulpit by Guido da Como (1250), and then to the former church of S. Pietro with its magnificent doorway. Finally, we leave Pistoia by the provincial highway which, 10 miles later on, brings us to PRATO