A striped baptistery, a glazed frieze and one of Tuscany's finest squares
Pistoia, between Florence and Lucca, is often overlooked, yet its Piazza del Duomo is one of the most harmonious squares in Tuscany. Around it stand the Romanesque cathedral of San Zeno, which holds the silver altar of St James, a masterpiece of goldsmithing with over 600 figures, the striped green and white Baptistery, the tall bell tower, the Palazzo del Comune and the Palazzo Pretorio.
A short walk away, the Ospedale del Ceppo, a medieval hospital, has on its loggia a frieze of glazed terracotta by the della Robbia workshop showing the Works of Mercy in vivid colours. The churches of Sant'Andrea, with the pulpit by Giovanni Pisano, and San Giovanni Fuorcivitas complete a remarkable artistic itinerary.
Tip: in July the Giostra dell'Orso, a joust in costume, fills the square; the underground tour "Pistoia Sotterranea" starts from the old hospital.
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