Sam and companions travel through Pistoia at night, by train, en route to Florence from Venice. Mark Twain Project: Quaker City Itinerary
Pistoja (*Albergo di Londra , outside the town , on the way to the stat. ; Globo, Posta , both in the Piazza Cino ; Caffè del Globo. Fiacres: One-horse per drive 60 c., two-horse 80 c., 1st hour 1 fr. 40, two horse 1 fr . 70 c., each following hour 1 fr., two-horse 1 fr . 30 c.) , Rom . Pistoria , near which , B . C . 62, Catiline was defeated and slain , in the middle ages the focus of the fiercest struggles between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. In the year 1300 the Cancellieri and Punciatichi, or Black and White parties, mentioned by Dante ( Inferno 24 , 143 ) , who afterwards extended their operations to Florence and influenced the fortunes of the poet himself, were formed here. Pistoja was the birthplace of the celebrated jurist and poet Cino (1270 — 1336 ) , a contemporary of Dante, but unknown to him , and of the satirist Niccold Forteguerri ( 1674 1735 ), author of the Ricciardetto . In the history of art the town also holds a prominent position owing to its valuable sculpture of the 12th -- 14th cent. The modern Pistoja possesses broad , well -built streets , 12 ,000 inhab . , iron works of some extent, and gun -manufactories. Pistols are said to have been invented here and to derive their name from Pistoja .
If the traveller follow the Via Cino , which comes from the rail. stat. and intersects the Corso Vitt. Emanuele at a right angle , as far as the Piazza Cino , and here turn to the r. into the Via Cavour , he will soon reach the old Romanesque church of S . Giovanni Fuoricivitas ( Evangelista ), erected about 1160 , with à façade decorated in the Pisan fashion with rows of columns. Gruamons, whose name is inscribed above the relief of the Last Supper on the architrave of the side- entrance, was perhaps the architect. The Pulpit , adorned with 10 reliefs on three sides, is of the school of Nicola Pisano, about 1270 . Interesting basin for the holy water , borne by three female figures , by Giovanni Pisano. The Visitation of Mary , a life-size group in terracotta , by Andreu della Robbia . The sacristy contains a fine picture of the time of Giotto , representing the Virgin with Evangelists and Saints.
The Via S . Matteo, the third side-street beyond S . Giovanni which diverges from the Via Cavour to the l. , leads to the Piazza , to the r . in which rises the
* Cathedral of S . Jucopo, founded at an early period , and extended in the 13th cent. from designs by Nicola Pisano (? ). The tribuna was added in 1599 by Jacopo Lafri. In the vestibule are faded frescoes by Giovanni Pistojese . Over the principal entrance a good bas-relief in terracotta (Madonna surrounded by angels ) by Andreu della Robbia .
The Interior, sadly marred by alterations, and restored with little taste in 1838 – 39 , consists of nave and aisles borne by 16 columns and 3 buttresses.
By the wall of the entrance is the " Font , adorned with a large reliet representing the Baptism of Christ, and four smaller ones, by Andrea Ferrucci da Fiesole. To the r. of the entrance is the "Monument of Cinu da Pistoja ( d . 1336 ) , attributed by Vasari to Andrea Pisano . The bas-relief represents Cino instructing 9 pupils, among them Petrarch , who afterwards composed a sonnet on his master ' s dtach , calling on the women to mourn for Cino as the poet of Love. The female figure is thvught to be Selvaggia Vergiolesi, the wite or mistress of Cino. Above is the statue of Cino, surrounded by 6 smaller figures (of which the temale figure is perhaps symbolical of Jurisprudence ). The inscription of 1614 refers to Cino as a jurist only : Cino eximio juris interpreti Bartholi praeceptori dignissimo populus Pistoj. civi suo b . m . fecit. - L . of the entrance the Monument of Cardinal Fortiguerra, with the bust and high reliefs , by Verrocchio (1474 ) and Lorenzetio, - The Cappella del Sagramento (1. of the chuii ) contains a Madunna with St. John and St. Zeno by Lorenzo di Credi , presented by Ferdinand de' Medici (1593 ). High relief bust of Bishop Donato de ' Medici by A . Rosselini (1475 ). Over the high aliar a Resurrection by Angelo Bronzino . Beautifully inlaid choir sialls , attributed to Vitoni ( 1500 ). In the Cappella S . Jacopo (r . of the choir) a richly decorated altar and canopy (coverea ) ; in a niche over the altar a sitting statue of St. Janies , surrounded by a postles and prophets, wrought in silver by Giglio Pisano (1u49 -- 53 ). In front of the altar is a large silver tablet with 15 relicts of subjects from the Old Tesiament, by Andrea di Jacopo d 'Ognabene ( 1310 ) of Pistoja ; the silver tablets at the sides by Piero da firenze (1357) anu Leonardo di Ser Giovanni, pupil of Urcagna (1566 ) . About 446 lbs. oi silver are said to have been employed in the execution of this work of art. In 1293 This altar was pillagt d by Vanni Fucc . o , who is acco : dingly placed by Dante (Inierno 24 , 139) in the internal regions. The Crypt, borne by six columns, is also modernized .
The campanile was originally a fortified tower , termed Torre del Podestà , and still bears the arms of the former governors of the town). Giovanni Pisuno adapted the tower to its present puipose and added the three series of arches.
Opposite to the cathedral is situated the octagonal * Baptis tery of San Giovanni Rotondo, erected in 1337 by Andrea Pisano in the Italian Gothic style , with sculptures and a handsome pulpit on the exterior. The large font is of earlier origin than the building itself and probably dates from 1256 .
Adjacent is the * Palazzo Pretorio , formerly del Podestà , with additions of 1367 – 77, now the seat of the tribunal. The court (cortile ) is surrounded by handsome arcades , adorned with numerous armorial bearings of the Podestà's , remarkable for the admirable Gothic style of the drawing, restored in 1844. To the 1. of the entrance are the stone table , and seats of the ancient court of judicature, bearing the inscription of 1507 :
Hic locus odit, amat, punit, conservat, honorat,
Nequitiam , leges, crimina, jura , probos.
The piazza is adorned with a Statue of Forteguerri (see p. 278 ) , erected in 1863. Opposite to the Pal. Pretorio is the Palazzo della Comunità (degli Anziani), erected in the Ital. Gothic style 1294 -- 1385 , with a vestibule , now the Municipio .
The Via Ripa della Comunità leads hence to the l. , and the first street diverging from it to the ). brings the traveller to the
Ospedale del Ceppo , erected in 1277 , but subsequently remodelled , embellished with a * frieze with reliefs in terracotta, representing the works of mercy, erected in 1525 - 85 by Giovanni, Luca , and Girolamo della Robbia , one of the finest productions of these masters. — The traveller should now pass the Ospedale by the Via delle Pappe to the l. , which leads to a small planted piazza , then follow the Via del Carmine to the l. ; the first side -street to the r . will then bring him to
* S . Andrea , a very ancient edifice, and probably formerly the cathedral. On the architrave of the entrance are sculptures of 1186 , representing the Adoration of the Magi with the inscription : Fecit hoc opus Gruamons magister bon , et Adod frater ejus. These masters were natives of Pistoja , where they executed several other works. The narrow nave and aisles are supported by 12 columns and 2 pillars The * Pulpit by Giovanni da Pisa , 1298 — 1381 , a hexagon with reliefs from the Old Testament on five sides, is a copy of that executed by his father at Pisa , to which it is preferred by Cicognara .
Of the other churches may be mentioned :
* S. Bartolommeo in Pantano , an early structure in the Lombard style , with sculptures by Rodolfino (1167) on the facade, representing the Mission of the apostles , and a pulpit by Guido da Como (1250 ) , borne by lions.
8. Domenico, in the Corso Vitt. Eman . , erected in 1380, contains the monument of the jurist Filippo Lazari (d . 1412) , by Bernardo di Matteo Fiorentino , 1464. The Cappella Rospigliosi is adorned with monuments of the family of that name, and the miracle of S , Carlo Borromeo , by Jacopo da Empoli, St. Dominicus receiving the rosary , by Angelo Bronzino , and St. Sebastian by R . Ghirlandajo . Adoration of the Magi and Crucifixion with saints. The Virgin and Thomas Aquinas, by Fra Paolo Pistojese. The cloisters were decorated with paintings by Sebastiano Veronese and others , 1596 .
S . Francesco al Prato , an Italian Gothic building of 1294, possesses some good paintings by Bronzino and other masters. The hall of the chapter is decorated with frescoes of scenes from the life of St. Francis, attributed by Vasari to Puccio Capanna (about 1400 ).
S . Maria dell' Umiltà , a few paces beyond the Piazza Cino ( p . 279 ) to the l. , with a bare façade , was erected in 1494 by Ventura Vitoni, pupil of Bramante ; dome of 1509 by Vasari, in the Renaissance style , of symmetrical proportions ; frescoes and paintings of the interior by the same master and others .
Among the Palaces may be mentioned Palazzo Panciatichi , near S . Giovanni Evangelista , and Pal. Cancellieri, recalling by their names the deadly feuds of the middle ages. The families of these names, as well as the Rospigliosi, are still in existence at Pistoja .
Two Libraries , the Fabbroniana and Fortiguerra , founded by cardinals born at Pistoja , contain a number of valuable works. In the Accademia delle Scienze, the Casa Bracciolini and Casa Tolommei, several pictures and curiosities are preserved . — The * Villa Puccini, 1 M . to the N . of Pistoja , possesses beautiful gardens and works of art by Pampaloni etc.