Surrounded by walls of ‘300, Pistoia has Roman origins (“pistoria”). With the commun formation in 11th century the city lives its most gloriuos years; the apix in fact, is reached on ‘200, thanks to the city enrichment and extension, that lasted until 1306. In this year Pistoia was stopped in its extension from Florence and Lucca.
Only after the second half of ‘800, Pistoia started again its growth beyond the ancient walls.
Recently city’s development has been characterized from that industrial, artisan and agricultural.
Dome Square, surrounded by medieval buildings that compose a suggestive architectural square, is the artistic and historical centre of the city. The Dome, built in Romanesque style, has ben erected in 12th and 13th century. Many artists of the time had take part to its decoration. The Sacristy is even mentioned in one of Dante masterpieces, “ The Divine Comedy”.
Besides in the same square you can visit the Bapsistry, a Gothic building of octagonal form, started in 1337 by Cellino di Nese, then “Palazzo dei Vescovi” (Bishops Palace), seat of S. Zeno Museum (where there is a valuable collecting of church ornaments and vestments, goldismith’s art, silverwares and manufactures of the Dome) and “Palazzo del Podestà” (Podesta Palace), that today is a tribunal.
Important to visit are also S. Francesco and S. Andrea Churches. On the inside of the latter is the famous pulpit by Giovanni Pisano, one of the masterpieces of 12th and 13th century.