Museo del Duomo

The museum of artifacts and original sculpture from the Duomo group in Pisa

[Closed for renovations, scheduled to re-open 2016]

Medieval statues in the Museo del Duomo of Pisa.Behind the Leaning Tower is the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, the former bishop's palace which today houses many of the statues and other works removed from the outside surfaces of the Duomo group for safekeeping.

Among the numerous time-bitten statues of saints are the original Romanesque bronze doors from the back of the cathedral (cast in 1180 by Bonano Pisano; now replaced by copies), and an 11th-century Islamic bronze griffin, part of Pisan war booty during the Crusades.

A detail from the 11th century bronze doors that once graced the cathedral.
A detail from the 12th century bronze doors that once graced the cathedral.There are also some cool diagrams showing how the buildings on the Campo dei Miracoli—despite their drunken leans—are laid out to an exacting geometric precision of overlapping circles, triangles, and perfect numerical ratios.

On the second floor are etchings of the Camposanto frescoes that were destroyed, and some fine views of the Leaning Tower beyond the grassy little courtyard framed by tall cypress trees.

Tips & links

Details

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
[CLOSED FOR RENOVATION]
Piazza del Duomo/Campo dei Miracoli (eastern edge)
tel. +39-050-835-011/12
www.opapisa.it
Open Apr–Sept 8am–8pm
Oct 9am–7pm
Nov-Feb 10am–5pm
Mar 9am–6pm
Adm €5–€42

Planning your time

Most people breeze through in 20 minutes; I'd say give it at least 30–45 minutes. Also, save it for last, since it is—relatively speaking—one of the lesser sights on the square.

Admission

Campo dei Miracoli admissions
Leaning Tower: €18
Cathedral: free admission with any ticket
1 monument: €5 ea.
2 monuments: €7 ea.
3 monuments: €8 ea.

Book your tickets ahead of time!!!

You actually only book a specific entry time for the Leaning Tower itself (at least 15 days before your visit at www.opapisa.it), but when you buy that ticket you can also include on it admission to any or all of the other five sights and monuments on the Campo dei Miracoli. You actually only pay for any random one to five other "monument" (see box); you get to pick which ones you want to see once you're here.

Look it sounds complicated, but here's what you do: by everything. Book the Leaning Tower ticket, and then go ahead and buy the ticket for all the other sights. It's just not worth troubling over—especially not for a mere €10 (€8 in winter, when the cathedral is free)—and they're all worth popping into.

Note that you have a specific window in which you can book online: starting 45 days before your visit, but ending 15 days before your visit. In other words, if its two weeks before you arrive in Pisa, you're going to have to hope you get lucky and will be able to find tickets on the day at the ticket desk. (Entry to everything else is always available, so if you don't care to climb the tower, you can just show upon the day.)

Hint: to avoid waiting in the regular Leaning Tower line, while booking tick the box that you want to pick up your tickets either at the Central Ticket Office or the Museo delle Sinopie.

Book a tour

Prefer to leave the driving and arrangements to someone else? Take either a bus tour to Pisa or a private walking tour of Pisa (or Pisa and Lucca) including transport from Florence with a private driver/guide. (Be sure to let them know you want admission to the Tower and other sights in Pisa, though; they'll tack it on to the price.)

Get tickets at the Museo delle Sinopie

There is a single ticket for entry into all the sights on the Campo dei Miracoli. if you didn't book it ahead of time, make sure you buy it at the Museo dell Sinopie, which has the largest ticketing desk and the shortest lines.

Tourist information

Pisa tourist information office
Most convenient location:
Piazza Arcivescovado 8 (in the Museo del Duomo, just behind the Leaning Tower)
tel. +39-334-641-9408

Main location:
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 16 (two blocks north of the main train station)
tel. +39-050-42-291

Other locations:
• At the aiport
• Near Ponte di Mezzo (Lungarno Galilei at Piazza XX Settembre)

www.pisaunicaterra.it
www.pisaturismo.it