This virtual tour panorama shows the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) in Pistoia. On the square are the Duomo, Baptistery, Town Hall and other significant buildings.

Pistoia - Pistoia visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Pistoia' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Tuscany.

Pistoia is an ancient settlement in Italy, at the northern end of the Ombrone River Valley in Tuscany and not far from Florence. Surrounded by the foothills of the Pistoiese Mountains, Pistoia has a history that pre-dates the Romans, with evidence of Gallic, Ligurian and Etruscan settlements prior to the arrival of the Romans in the 6th century BC.

During the era of the Lombardic kingdom, Pistoia was a royal city with associated privileges. The golden age for the city was in the 12th century, which saw the construction of many important buildings and the city walls, which still exist today. Thereafter, Pistoia became a Florentine holding and was annexed to Florence in 1530.

Pistoia - Tourist Attractions

Today, Pistoia is a moderately popular tourist attraction. It is easily toured in a day with most of the main sights within walking distance of each other inside the old town. Among the top tourist attractions in Pistoia are

• Duomo di Pistoia (Pistoia Cathedral) - properly called the Cattedrale di San Zeno, a 10th century Romanesque church housing the amazing, silver embossed Altar of St. James in the Crucifix Chapel and the 13th century 'Crucifixion' by Coppo di Marcovaldo.
• Baptistery - octagonal 14th century baptistery standing opposite the front of the cathedral in Piazza del Duomo.
• Tower of Catilina - 30m high tower built in the Middle Ages next to the cathedral.
Palazzo dei Vescovi (Bishops' Palace) - also found on Piazza del Duomo, first built in the 11th century with a Gothic loggiato and modified throughout the ages.
• Basilica di Madonna dell'Umiltà (Basilica of Our Lady of Humility) - 16th century basilica with a 59m high cupola housing a 15th century painting by Bernardino del Signoraccio in the apse.
• San Bartolomeo in Pantano - founded in the 8th century, the church on the site is a 12th century Pistoiese Romanesque style church with the 13th century 'hrist in Majesty between Saints and Angels' in the apse.
• Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata (Church of Santissima Annunziata) - 14th century Baroque church famous for the Chiostro dei Morti (Dead's Cloister), the 'The Nativity of the Virgin' by Lodovico Cardi among other works of art. The church also has a 27m high bell tower.
• San Giovanni Battista - 15th century church damaged by bombing during WWII and now housing exhibitions.
• San Benedetto Church - built in the 14th century and restored in 1630, this church houses several works of art including the Annunciation by Giovanni Bartolomeo Cristiani (1390), St. Benedict with the Redeemer from the 1500's and the Histories of the Order of the Knights of St. Benedict by Giovan Battista Vanni (1660).
• San Francesco Church - built in the 13th century with an unfinished façade and containing 14th-15th century frescoes.
• Santa Maria in Ripalta Church - 11th century church containing the Ascension fresco Manfredino d'Alberto (1274) in the apse.
• Fortress of Santa Barbara - first built in the 14th century, destroyed in 1343 and then rebuilt in 1539 it now houses a cinema and hold various shows.
• 14th century walls - surrounding the whole of the old town with several gates.
• Ospedale del Ceppo - first built in the 13th century and subsequently enlarged and altered, with a beautiful frieze on the front.
• Palazzo Comunale - first built in the 12th century and then modified, it has the arms of the Medici and the head of the King of Majorca Nose Negro on the façade and houses the council chambers, Giovanni Michelucci Documentation Center and the Civic Museum.

Pistoia Tourist Information Office
Piazza del Duomo 4
Telephone: (+44) 573.21.622
Email: info@commune.pistoia.it
Website: commune.pistoia.it

Car: Pistioa is on the A11, 35km north of Florence, 40km east of Lucca and 65km east of Pisa.
Flight: Pisa Airport, Florence Airport.
Train: Pistoia Station on the main East-West line from Florence to Pisa.