An open space outside of the ancient walls was selected as the site for the Pisan cathedral. Building work began under the watchful eye of Buscheto following the victorious expedition to Palermo in 1063. The Cathedral, devoted to Santa Maria Assunta, was designed so that the entire architectural structure of the religious building centred around the large dome.
Rainaldo, another great architect, stepped in one hundred years later to design and direct the extending of the nave and the production of the splendid facade. A fire raged through the cathedral in 1595 causing so much damage that the ceiling of the nave and the three bronze portals of the facade had to be rebuilt.
Inside the five-aisle cathedral are countless works of art, including a masterpiece of Italian gothic sculpture, the pulpit by Giovanni Pisano.

Opening Times
• November to February: from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm; from 9am to 6pm  (25/12 to 7/1)
• March: from 10am to 6pm (until 13/3); from 10am to 7pm (until 20/3); from 10am to 8pm (from 21/3)
• April to September: from 10am to 8pm
• October: from 10am to 7pm
The Cathedral opens at 1 pm on public holidays.
Access to the monuments is allowed until 30 minutes before closing time.

The times of the liturgies in the Cathedral for the year
• Every weekday: 8am - 9.30am
• Every ordinary Sunday: 8am - 9.30am - conventual mass (with the presence of the canons) 11am - midday - 5pm (6pm in summer)

Admission
• Full € 2.00
• School groups € 1.00
• Free from 1/11 to 1/3 exclusive

Directions from Pisa Centrale station
• LAM Rossa  1 San Jacopo service - Torre 1 bus stop