Pisa Cathedral is the cathedral in the Piazza dei Miracoli complex beside the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The cathedral was begun in 1063, when Pisa was a powerful maritime republic. Its architect is traditionally identified as Buscheto, and the building became a major expression of Pisan Romanesque architecture. The church was consecrated in 1118 by Pope Gelasius II.
The cathedral, baptistery, bell tower, and monumental cemetery form the celebrated Piazza dei Miracoli, or Square of Miracles. The Leaning Tower is the cathedral’s campanile rather than a separate cathedral. Its famous tilt resulted from unstable foundation conditions in the soft ground.
Pisa Cathedral is sometimes overshadowed by the tower, but its striped marble exterior, mosaics, and carved details were central to the complex’s original design. The church was damaged by fire in 1595 and subsequently restored, so some interior features are later replacements.