The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-18

had not been for the almost ceaseless
war they waged with the Saracens.
there is little doubt that that race of
warriors would have overrun Europe.
but harassed as they continually were
by the fleets of these three cities their
efforts We're diverted. 1t Is the habit
to say that these cities maintained their
fleets only to protect their own COM
merce, but we must remember that in
protecting that commerce they protect
ed Europe.
The first Of these cities to rise to
power, and also the first to fall was
Pisa, and its decay has been the most
complete Its old-time rivals still re-
tain some of their old-time Importance
in the world, but Pisa has gone to sleep,
as it We're, and the world has run away
from her. Since that memorable Au-
gust day, 6l2 years ago, when the Geno-
ese destroyed their naval power, the
Pisans have, generation after genera
tion, seen their city slip further and
further behind its neighbors As
consequence of that great sea fight
Pisa lost Corsica, and soon after Sar-
dinia was taken from her. Thus re-
duced in power she fell an easy prey to
the rising city of Florence, and the town
that had single handed. driven back
the Saracens, and had held at one time
a large portion OF the Italian peninsula,
became dependency.
OF INTEREST TO STUDENTS.
AS natural consequence of this
early decay as an Independent growing
city, the group of buildings by which
Pisa is mainly known to us belong to
the earlier Italian period, having been
either built or designed between the
years 1000 and 100. They were the
first of the renaissance buildings of
Italy, and are thus Of great interest to
the student aside from their great
beauty.
The structures are four in number,
and are situated close together in one
corner of the town, and not in it's center,
as is usual. They are the cathedral.
considered by some critics the most
beautiful In Italy. the Baptistery. the
Campo SantO and the far-famed Cam
panile, or Leaning Tower. They are in
excellent preservation, in fact are now
kept up by the city as n sort of public
institution. Their being q public insti-
tuition, however, does not prevent the
ever present guide from intruding his
services upon you. TO ascend the lean
ing tower it is necessary to have
companion, ana tnlS gives MN ms
opportunity. The ascent of the tower
Is well worth the effort required. At
ones feet lies sleepy old Pisa. shrunk
inside it's old walls, which still stand.
now some distance from the town in
nearly every direction The level plain
on which Pisa Is built stretches away
to the Apennines, and If, as happened
when ! made the ascent, the sun is set
ting, the effect of its rays ON the snow
covered mountain tops is superb.
Away to the west the sea Is visible.
with a steamer making its way along
the coast. Just under the sun rises a
rocky island, and the whole scene Is
one which once seen, Is not soon for
gotten.
The inclination of the tower at the
ton is very noticeable. and when on it's
lower side one automatically clings TO
the inner wall. This inclination. how
ever il not so much on the too as il is
about two-thirds of the way up. as 1t
was at this point IL was discovered that
one side of the tower was sinking. and
from there on It begins to bend back,