Ospedale Nuovo, oggi Museo delle Sinopie

History Embedded in a Marble Inscription - The history of the Cathedral of Pisa is reported by a series of epigraphs embedded on its façade, enabling one to determine the events related to this monument: the period, the founder, the circumstances and the means of construction. The inscriptions testify that the Cathedral had been erected with the citiziens’ will since 1064, when Pisa, at the climax of its political, economic and military development, was the strongest marine power in the Western Mediterranean area. Among the victories over the Saracens, the sacking of Palermo provided an extraordinary booty permitting the beginning of the new Cathedral construction, which was the tangible proof of the city’s power.This type of ’panelled caption’ includes the tomb of Buscheto, the architect of the extraordinary engeneering and aesthetic features of this "snow-white marble" building, which, according to the inscription, "had no precedents".Further building, consisting of enlargement to the aisles and the façade construction, is ascribed to Rainaldo, who in another epigraph, was described as "careful member and Master builder of the Opera del Duomo".As reported by one of the façade epigraphs, the Cathedral was erected "not far from the city" in an area that was later included within the city walls. It was conceived to replace an older Cathedral, previously sited in the same place and of which no traces have remained, with the exception of a few late medieval sculptural elements re-used for the new Cathedral walls. It is sited on an east-west axis, with the apse facing eastwards, as Christian churches usually are.