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Ammannati Chapel
The Capilla Ammannati is the oldest of three chapels within the Camposanto Monumentale, dating to 1360. It takes its name from the funerary monument of Ligo Ammannati, a professor at the University of Pisa who died in 1359. Located in the north wing of the building, the chapel houses the sepulchre that gives it its name, along with a collection of medieval stone fragments assembled by Carlo Lasinio in the early 19th century. Visitors can see what to expect: a modest but historically significant space combining Renaissance architecture with important medieval artefacts.
Aulla Chapel
Capilla Aulla is a modest devotional chapel set along the north wall of the Camposanto Monumentale, featuring its own altar adorned with architectural elements spanning several centuries. What sets it apart are two remarkable pieces: a Renaissance glazed terracotta altar and a historic lamp connected to one of science's most celebrated moments. Worth a visit when exploring Pisa's monumental cemetery complex.
Dal Pozzo Chapel
Capilla Dal Pozzo is the third and most recent chapel within the Camposanto Monumentale, located at the centre of the eastern arm's cloister. Commissioned in 1594 by Pisa's Archbishop Carlo Antonio Dal Pozzo, it stands apart from the rest of the complex thanks to its distinctive small dome. The chapel houses an altar dedicated to San Jerónimo, making it a notable addition to this remarkable religious site worth visiting during your time in Pisa.
Central Cloister and Courtyard
The central cloister and courtyard form the heart of Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa. This expansive rectangular courtyard, laid to grass and open to the sky, is enclosed by arcaded galleries featuring pointed ogival arches with intricate tracery and stone mullions. The courtyard serves as a crucial compositional void, offering a contemplative pause that enhances the meditative atmosphere of the entire complex. It's what to see when visiting this remarkable medieval monument.
Fresco Galleries
The fresco galleries at Pisa's Camposanto Monumentale represent one of the most ambitious mural schemes of late medieval Italy, covering more than 2,600 square metres—exceeding the Sistine Chapel in area. Arranged along the north and south corridors of the Gothic cloister, these walls feature an extensive pictorial programme exploring salvation, death and local sanctity, executed between the mid-14th and 15th centuries. It's a remarkable example of what to see when visiting this remarkable monument.
Triumph of Death (Buffalmacco)
The Triumph of Death is the most celebrated fresco within the Camposanto's cycle of frescoes, painted by Buonamico Buffalmacco between 1336 and 1341 along the southern corridor. The work weaves together several distinct narrative scenes to portray death as a universal force descending from above to claim lives regardless of age, social standing or wealth. This is Buffalmacco's masterpiece, where he achieved the height of his artistic powers. The composition draws the viewer along the wall through a compelling visual narrative that confronts mortality with striking intensity.
Old Testament Cycle (Benozzo Gozzoli)
Benozzo Gozzoli's Old Testament cycle adorns the north gallery of the Camposanto in Pisa, painted between 1468 and 1484. Comprising twenty-six scenes arranged in two horizontal bands of thirteen panels each, it extends the decorative scheme begun by Piero di Puccio in the late 14th century. This major work exemplifies the Florentine master's skill in transposing biblical narratives into the contemporary visual world of his time. It remains essential to understanding Gozzoli's artistic achievements and the development of fresco painting in Renaissance Italy. What to see here showcases the artist's ability to make scripture accessible through recognisable everyday settings.
Collection of Roman Sarcophagi
The Camposanto's galleries display an impressive collection of Roman sarcophagi arranged along the walls, alongside Roman and Etruscan sculptures and burial urns. Notable pieces include sarcophagi depicting the Myth of Meleagro, Ichthyocentaurs, and the Sarcophagus of Bellicus Natalis. What to see here offers a fascinating glimpse into classical funerary art and craftsmanship from antiquity.
Galileo's Lamp
Galileo's Lamp is an original votive lamp housed in the Aulla chapel of the Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa. According to tradition, this very object inspired Galileo Galilei's theory on pendulum isochronism—the principle that a pendulum's swing time remains constant regardless of amplitude. The lamp was removed from the cathedral and replaced with a larger version. What to see here offers a tangible connection to one of history's most important scientific insights, linking Renaissance Pisa to the birth of modern physics.
- 1.Ammannati Chapel
- 2.Aulla Chapel
- 3.Dal Pozzo Chapel
- 4.Central Cloister and Courtyard
- 5.Fresco Galleries
- 6.Triumph of Death (Buffalmacco)
- 7.Old Testament Cycle (Benozzo Gozzoli)
- 8.Collection of Roman Sarcophagi
- 9.Galileo's Lamp
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