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| THE CAMPOSANTO |
| The Camposanto is the tectangular structure running practically the whole lenght of the north side of the square. The exterior is decorated with the same blind arch pattern used on the other buildings. Over one of the two simple entrances is an elegant Gothic tabernacle by followers of Giovanni Pisano. The Camposanto was begun by Giovanni di Simone in 1277. It was built so that the mortal remains of the Pisans could be buried in the precious earth from the Holy Land that archbishop Ubaldo de' Lanfranchi had actually commissioned the Pisan fleet to tranport from Golgotha. In july 1944 the cemetery was so badly bombed that its lead roof caved in and fused, - in some cases irreparable damage - to the |  |
| frescos, sculptures, and sarcophagi beneath the rubble. The restoration of these treasures was only completed in 1979. Now most of the frescoes have been put back in their original places and their sinopias (underlyng preparatory sketches) are on wiew in a special little museum in the nearly Spedale. |
| THE INTERIOR |
| Majestic, yet peaceful, the court-yard of the Camposanto, with
its simple lawn and paired cypress trees, gives one the impression of being in a cloister.
The Roman sarcophagi and funerary monuments set along the corridors, previously scattered
about the Campo dei Miracoli, mostly in the area around the cathedral, were placed here at
the turn of the century. Most of them date from the Hellenistic or Early Christian
periods. Decorated with reliefs of mythological scenes, they were often re-used for the
burial of Pisan nobles between the 12th and 15th centuries. A few are even of great
artistic value. Three outstanding examples are the sarcophagus with scenes from the Myth
of Phedra (2nd century AD), the socalled Wedding Sarcophago, and
the Sarcopagus of the Muses (3rd century AD), all of which are in the north
corridor. There are also monuments dating from later periods, such as the Tomb of
Archbishop Schelatti by Nino Pisano (1363), the Tomb of the della Gherardesca
family by a pupil of Giovanni Pisano (1320), as well as others by Ammannati, Tribolo
(16th century), and even more recent ones by Duprč and Lorenzo Bartolini (19th century). The frescos, however, are the highlight of the Camposanto. In the south corridor are stories from the Old Testament by Benozzo Gozzoli (15th century), unfortunately in very poor condition. The 14th century frescoes illustrating stories from the Lives of St. Ranieri and Job are by Taddeo Gaddi. Opposite, in the north corridor, are late 14th century frescoes by Piero di Puccio with cosmological motifs and episodes from Genesis. Entering the cappella Ammannati, we turn left into the SALONE degli AFFRESCHI (fresco hall) which contains the Triumph of the Death, the Last Judgement, Hell, and stories of the Anacorite hermits. |
| This remarkable fresco cycle, painted in the 14th
century, is a complex narration of great dramatic effect. Undoubtedly, the Triumph of the
Death is the most remarkable of all. The drama of the scenes is played up by the striking use of composition, while no detail is considered unworthy of being described. Although art historians have made countless attributions, including Traini, Orcagna, Buffalmacco and Lorenzetti, the name of the masters who painted it is still a mystery. To the right of the cappella Ammannati is a photographic exhibition of the Camposanto frescoes before the July 1944 disaster. Returning to the north corridor, we find other frescoes, the "Story of Noah" by Piero di Puccio and the "Grape harvest" by Benozzo Gozzoli. |
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