Â˘Î¿‰· / Lefkada - Grimaldi Group

∆Ô πÙ·ÏÈÎfi ı·‡Ì·
The Italian miracle
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·Ú¿ ÙÔÓ «ÛÎÏËÚfi» ·ÓÙ·ÁˆÓÈÛÌfi, Ô ÎÂÎÏÈ̤ÓÔ˜ ‡ÚÁÔ˜ Ù˘ ›˙·˜
ıˆÚÂ›Ù·È ÙÔ ÈÔ ‰È¿ÛËÌÔ ÂıÓÈÎfi ÌÓËÌÂ›Ô Î·È Ë ÈÔ ·ÓÙÈÚÔÛˆÂ˘ÙÈ΋
ÂÈÎfiÓ· Ù˘ πÙ·Ï›·˜ ÁÈ· ÙÔ˘˜ ÙÔ˘Ú›ÛÙ˜. √ ‡ÚÁÔ˜ ÌÔÈ¿˙ÂÈ Ó· ÓÈοÂÈ ÙÔ˘˜
ÓfiÌÔ˘˜ Ù˘ Ê˘ÛÈ΋˜, ηıÒ˜ Ï·ÓÈ¤Ù·È ÛÙÔÓ ·¤Ú· - ‰›Ï· ·fi ÙÔ
«Duomo» (¤Ó·˜ ÙÂÚ¿ÛÙÈÔ˜ ÌÂ۷ȈÓÈÎfi˜ ηı‰ÚÈÎfi˜ Ó·fi˜), ÙÔ
B·ÙÈÛÙ‹ÚÈÔ Î·È ÙÔ KÔÈÌËÙ‹ÚÈÔ (Camposanto) - ¿Óˆ ·fi ÙËÓ Ì·Á¢ÙÈ΋
«Piazza dei Miracoli» (Ï·Ù›· ÙˆÓ £·˘Ì¿ÙˆÓ). ∏ ηٷÛ΢‹
ÙÔ˘ ηı‰ÚÈÎÔ‡, ¤Ó· ı·‡Ì· ·Èı¤ÚÈ·˜ ÔÌÔÚÊÈ¿˜ ¯ÈÏ›ˆÓ ÂÙÒÓ
¯ÙÈṲ̂ÓÔ Ì ̿ÚÌ·ÚÔ Ù˘ ∫·Ú¿Ú·, ¿Ú¯ÈÛ ÙÔ 1063, ¤Ó·
ÂÚ›Ô˘ ·ÈÒÓ· ÚÈÓ ·fi ÙÔÓ ‡ÚÁÔ. ∏ «Piazza dei Miracoli»
Î·È ÔÈ ıËÛ·˘ÚÔ› Ô˘ Ê˘Ï¿ÛÛÔÓÙ·È Ì¤Û· ÛÙ· ÔÏÏ¿ ÌÓËÌ›·
Ù˘ ·ÔÙÂÏÔ‡Ó ¤Ó· ÂÍ·ÈÚÂÙÈÎfi ‰Â›ÁÌ· ÌÂ۷ȈÓÈ΋˜ Ù¤¯Ó˘ ηÈ
·Ú¯ÈÙÂÎÙÔÓÈ΋˜, fi¯È ÌfiÓÔ ÁÈ· ÙËÓ ›˙·
·ÏÏ¿ Î·È ÁÈ· ÔÏfiÎÏËÚË ÙËÓ πÙ·Ï›·.
√ ∫ÂÎÏÈ̤ÓÔ˜ ‡ÚÁÔ˜
¢Âη٤ÛÛÂÚȘ ¯ÈÏÈ¿‰Â˜ ÙfiÓÔÈ
Ï¢ÎÔ‡ Ì·ÚÌ¿ÚÔ˘, 294
ÛηÏÔ¿ÙÈ·, 56 ̤ÙÚ· ‡„Ô˜
Î·È ÌÈ· ÎÏ›ÛË 5°20’, ‹ 9.6%,
Despite the stiff competition, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is the most famous
national monument. The one that most strikes tourists as the favourite
shorthand image for the idea of Italy. The Torre appears to defy the laws of
physics and float magically - next to the duomo, baptistery and Camposanto
- on the meadowy masterpiece that is Piazza dei Miracoli. A miracle of
ethereal beauty built with the solidity of Carrara marble, nearly 1000 years
old: the cathedral was in fact begun in 1063, about a century
before the tower. Piazza dei Miracoli and the art
treasures contained within its various monuments constitute
a prime example of Romanesque art and architecture,
and not only Pisa, but Italy as whole, wouldn't
be the same without it.
The Leaning Tower
14,000 tonnes of white marble, 294 steps, 56 metres in
height and a tilt of 5°20’, or 9.6%, which means it is
about 2.3 metres out of plumb. Impressive statistics, but
they can't convey the excitement of reaching the top
after climbing the six colonnades of the Leaning Tower:
work began on the bell tower of the duomo in August
1173 and continued for around 200 years. Designed to
be straight, the tower started to lean before it was finished
when the soil subsided. A series of architects and engineers have struggled
to haul it back into the vertical. The most recent measures were adopted
in the 1990s and the tilt has been reduced to the same level as a couple
of centuries ago. The experts say it's safe, meanwhile the tower continues
to lean and to attract millions of tourists.
The Cathedral and its treasures
ln the middle of the Miracoli ensemble is the cathedral of
Santa Maria Assunta and its treasures, situated between
the austere baptistery of St John the Baptist and the
Leaning Tower. The Camposanto completes an unrivalled
quartet of medieval masterpieces, partly con-