Pistoia
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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The city of Pistoia is the capital city of the Province of Pistoia with a population of 90,358 inhabitants.
Standing at an elevation of 65 metres above sea level, it covers a total area of 236 km² and lies 35 kilometres north west of Florence, the regional capital of Tuscany. Italy's Capital of Culture in 2017, Pistoia is described in some quarters as a "mini-Florence" for its architectural legacy, particularly its Baptistery, and deserves more than a fleeting visit. |
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Pistoia's centre is a triumph of medieval and Renaissance city building with its major historic monuments looking as good now as no doubt they did when they were built. Everything you may wish to see is reachable on foot from the centre and there's really only one place to start: Piazza del Duomo.
Once a year on 25th July, the feast day of San Jacopo (Saint James), Piazza del Duomo is transformed into an arena, thronged with crowds that come to witness the jousting and heraldic splendour of the city's main event: the Giostro dell'Orso. On every other day of the year, Piazza del Duomo is simply the home to the city's best monuments and its cultural hub.
The main attraction on Piazza del Duomo is the Cathedral; the Pisan-Romanesque style Cattedrale di San Zeno dates back to the 10th century and houses numerous works of art. Among the highlights here is the Altarpiece of Saint James, housed in the Cappella di San Jacopo. Step outside the Cathedral and you're immediately faced with the 14th century Baptistery with its distinctive horizontal stripes of green and white marble.
You can't fail to notice the tallest building on Piazza del Duomo which is the Cathedral's Bell Tower (campanile in Italian) which soars to a height of 67 metres. Climb the steps of the tower and you get the best possible view of Pistoia from the summit. While at the top of the Bell Tower you can look down on to some of the city's sights that aren't on Piazza del Duomo. Chief among those is the Chiesa di San Giovanni Fuoricivitas with its unusual side-facing facade, resplendent in the same green and white striped style of the Baptistery. You can also pick out the little square called Piazza della Sala where you'll find a marketplace and lots of places to try some local cuisine.
Pistoia's train station is situated to the south of the city centre, a ten minute walk (1 km) from Piazza del Duomo. Trains run regularly from Pistoia to the centre of Florence (Santa Maria Novella) with a journey time of 38 minutes, stopping along the way in the neighbouring city of Prato (11 minutes). You can also travel in the opposite direction, west towards the coast, reaching the seaside town of Viareggio in an hour and 6 minutes, with one of the intervening stops at Lucca (46 minutes).
The most convenient airport for Pistoia is Florence Airport which is a 26 minute drive away (32 km), while Tuscany's other major airport, Pisa Airport, is a good alternative at 48 minutes by car (74 km).
Places to visit close to Pistoia include the town of Vinci, birthplace of a certain artist called Leonardo. It may come as a surprise to know that you can go skiing in Tuscany and the region's main ski resort, Abetone, is in the mountains to the north of Pistoia. If heading in that direction by car, the town of Cutigliano is worth a look; it's on the same road as Abetone but closer to Pistoia.
Once a year on 25th July, the feast day of San Jacopo (Saint James), Piazza del Duomo is transformed into an arena, thronged with crowds that come to witness the jousting and heraldic splendour of the city's main event: the Giostro dell'Orso. On every other day of the year, Piazza del Duomo is simply the home to the city's best monuments and its cultural hub.
The main attraction on Piazza del Duomo is the Cathedral; the Pisan-Romanesque style Cattedrale di San Zeno dates back to the 10th century and houses numerous works of art. Among the highlights here is the Altarpiece of Saint James, housed in the Cappella di San Jacopo. Step outside the Cathedral and you're immediately faced with the 14th century Baptistery with its distinctive horizontal stripes of green and white marble.
You can't fail to notice the tallest building on Piazza del Duomo which is the Cathedral's Bell Tower (campanile in Italian) which soars to a height of 67 metres. Climb the steps of the tower and you get the best possible view of Pistoia from the summit. While at the top of the Bell Tower you can look down on to some of the city's sights that aren't on Piazza del Duomo. Chief among those is the Chiesa di San Giovanni Fuoricivitas with its unusual side-facing facade, resplendent in the same green and white striped style of the Baptistery. You can also pick out the little square called Piazza della Sala where you'll find a marketplace and lots of places to try some local cuisine.
Pistoia's train station is situated to the south of the city centre, a ten minute walk (1 km) from Piazza del Duomo. Trains run regularly from Pistoia to the centre of Florence (Santa Maria Novella) with a journey time of 38 minutes, stopping along the way in the neighbouring city of Prato (11 minutes). You can also travel in the opposite direction, west towards the coast, reaching the seaside town of Viareggio in an hour and 6 minutes, with one of the intervening stops at Lucca (46 minutes).
The most convenient airport for Pistoia is Florence Airport which is a 26 minute drive away (32 km), while Tuscany's other major airport, Pisa Airport, is a good alternative at 48 minutes by car (74 km).
Places to visit close to Pistoia include the town of Vinci, birthplace of a certain artist called Leonardo. It may come as a surprise to know that you can go skiing in Tuscany and the region's main ski resort, Abetone, is in the mountains to the north of Pistoia. If heading in that direction by car, the town of Cutigliano is worth a look; it's on the same road as Abetone but closer to Pistoia.
Comune di Pistoia
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Province: Pistoia
Region: Tuscany Population: 89,493 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Total size: 236 km² Elevation: 65 metres Top sights: Pistoia Cathedral, Pistoia Baptistery, Pistoia Bell Tower Recommended accommodation: Hotel Patria Close by: Vinci, Cutigliano, Abetone, Prato, Lucca, Florence |
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Public transport: Central train station, local buses
By car: Prato - 28 mins (26 km), Lucca - 40 mins (45 km) |
By air: Florence Airport - 26 minutes by car (32 km)
By train: Prato - 11 minutes, Florence - 38 minutes |
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