Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-10-14
FACTS ABOUT PISA
a City Of Significant History Abound :
ing in Frenkish Incidents

ing in Frenkish Incidents
"A city of 10000 skyscrapers before
Peter Minuit bought Manhattan Island
Tor the present price of supper at
Broadway cabaret.
"A city that warred and traded with
empires, yet plunged into a disastrous
struggle with rival city over the rights
to a latdog
"A city which was seized after a Floren-
tine Hobson bottled up Its harbor en-
trance with sunken boats six centuries
before the battle off Santiago Bay"
Such, according to a bulletin from the
washington. b. c., headquarters OF the
National Geographic Society Is Pisa,
whose leaning tower was endangered by
recent earthquake tremors in Italy.
"Pisa's record abounds m Incidents
as freakish as Its famous tower; yet IL.
possesses a history necessarily more sig
nificant than any British or American
city. For the English speaking town may
DC rich In municipal annals but Pisa at
tanned "a national status and conquered
coveted territory"
"A flourishlng town when Rome was
a very mean city indeed, 1t was nutured
during the heyday Of the Empire, and
was among the first Of the italian cities
to emerge from that chrysalis into a ro-
bust independence"
indicative Of Pisas Importance in the
thirteenth century was her sending an
ambassador to Rome. Thereby hangs the
story OF the 1apdog. During the corona
ton ceremonies of Frederick III the
Florentine emissary admired the lapdog
OF certain cardinal, so that dignitary
promised to give the tiny animal TO its
adfnifer. Next day the Pisan ambassa-
dor said a few kind words about the
aod ha al
promised II to him. The Florentine sent
for his gift and got It; the Pisan sent.
and received an apology. Florentines be-
gan Joking the Plsans about this incident.
and fights eneued on the Roman Streets
When the Pisan home folks heard this
It gave them an excellent chance to pick
quarrel that had long been simmering.
a sort Of medieval Boston Tea Party
was staged by the Pisans, who seized
all the enemy merchandise within their
reach, and thus preclpitated the first
Of a series of wars with Florence which
eliminated in the subsection Of Pisa by
her longtime rival.
THE lapdog story seems trivial. yet
characteristic Of certain childish quality
noticeable among the juvenile civic
nationalities that preceded national Italy.
AS further proof might recall the
occasion when the victorious army OF
Lucca hung upon Pisan tower q mirror
with the inscription oh women of Pisa.
use these 70 look at yourselves No
other challenge was needed for tho Pisans
to march 70 the gate OF Lucca and there
to plant poles topped with mirrors, bear
ing retalistory comment.
During one Of the wars between
Florence and Plsa--wiliam Dean Howells
counted seven but admits he may have
= wis fa1y tha tpa had otou oH
the Psans back to their own city. An
eagle. revered by the Pisans as were
wolves in Rome and lions in Florence,
escaped to the enemy camp. The bird
was killed. dragged back to Florence,
and there great was the rejoicing over
the omen to Pisa's capture.
Were a super Rip Van Wrinkle OF
medieval Pisa to come with his latter
! day compatriots TO Ellis Island in 1870.
' not only the national bird of his adopted
land, but the skyscraper line Of New
: York might make him feel at home.
Towers they were called. these Pisa
skyscrapers. huddled together for all this
world like groups Of tall apartment
houses. Two reasons are assigned for
: this method Of building. common to Ital.
ian towns Of the twelfth century. One
D was that the walls permitted only vertical
expansion when population pressure in.
Il creased. Another. believeable in view Of
the constant factional fights and family
r feuds, attributed them to the necessity
for protection.
Bridges that could be thrown from
tower to tower further suggested the
skyscraper likeness. On these preour.
sors OF the modern fire escape many 9
community battle has ragged. To quote
one vivid description: Mangonels. or cat
an,,Ite hn0 nDtn tat H..
: roofs OF the towers. sent masses of stone
g hurting through the air. whstling arbe
e last bolts and clothyard shafts flew ir
thick showers, boiling oil or lead raine(
down on the heads of those who ven
r tured down to attack the doors, and ar
e rows. with greek fire attached, were sho
s with nice aim into the wooden balconies
n and bridges. The shouts and shrieks o.
,. the combatants were mingled with thu
crash Of a falling tower or with the hiss
II ing Of fire-arrow. Where those struck
a red glow arose and thick cloud O
= smoke enveloped the defenders
"All of which goes to prove that Pisa
: interests lies far deeper than the archi
Il tectural curiosity that has made it ia
r nous. Even the tower served humanit!
10 well. aside from becoming the most effec
tive bit of city advertising yet devised
p for II permitted Calico. q native OF Pisa
= to carry on his experiments with the law
D, governing the pendulum.
Moreover the tower is but one par
y Of what has been called the most IA
70 nous group of architecture in the world
after that Of St.Mark's Place In Venice.
Q The other parts are the Duomo. O
ID cathedral. and the Baptistery. Tn
10 chandelier still hangs in the forme
Is which, by it's swaying. is said to hav
n set Calico to investigating the pendulum
e Both these noble piles contain relic
y that recall events OF Pisa's composite
DO history. One art piece, the Santa Mari
l. Soto gil Organi tSt. Mary Under tn
n Organ SO called from its position. 4
y known to hava been in Pisa since tn
l. thirteenth century. The picture has beef
N conspicuous in services and in process
'r sions, yet 4 is believed that no eye say
y Il from that time until December Is, lbs
There is a tradition, recalling the ex
perience Of those who profaned the Bibli
cal ark that all who tried to lift its veil
q were stricken.
~ when a severe earthquake shook Pts
y in 1864 this Madonna was solemnl
"a crowned in thanksgiving for the city
). escape. Even now the picture is Tin
= yelled only in times Of great distress"