to
entrust him the construction of the Campo Santo, which is against the
piazza del Duomo towards the walls, as they had long desired and
talked of having a place for the burial of all their dead, both
gentle and simple, so that the Duomo should not be filled with tombs,
or for other reasons. Thus Giovanni with good designs and great
judgment erected the building as we now see it, in style, size, and
marble ornamentation, and as no expense was spared, it was roofed
with lead. On the outside of the principle entrance may be read
these words, carved in the marble:

"A.D. MCCLXXVIII. tempore Domini Federigi archiepiscopi
Pisani, et Domini Terlati potestatis operario Orlando Sardella,
Johanne magistro aedificante."

In the completion of this work, 1283, Giovanni went to Naples, where
he erected the Castel Nuovo for King Charles; and in order to enlarge
it and add to its strength, he was compelled to pull down a number of
houses and churches, among them a convent of the friars of St
Francis, which was afterwards rebuilt on a larger and grander scale
at some distance from the castle, with the title of S. Maria della
Nuova. After these building had been set on foot and were well
advanced, Giovanni left Naples to return to Tuscany, but when he
reached Siena he was not allowed to go farther, but was induced to
design the facade of the Duomo of that city, which was subsequently
erected from his plans in a very rich and magnificent style. In the
following year, 1286, while the bishop's palace at Arezzo was being
built from the design of Margaritone, architect of Arezzo, Giovanni
was fetched from Sienna to that city by Guglielmo Ubertini, the
bishop there. He there executed in marble the table of the high
altar, full of figures cut in relief of leaves and other ornaments,
dividing the work into compartments by fine mosaics and enamels on
silver plates, fixed into the marble with great care. In the midst is
Our Lady with the child at her neck, and on one side of her is St
Gregory the Pope (which is a portrait of Pope Honorius IV. drawn from
life), and on the other side St Donato, the bishop and protector of
that city, whose body, with those of St Antilia and other saints,
rest under that same altar. And as the altar stands out by itself,
the sides are decorated with small representations in bas-relief from
the life of St Donato, and the work is crowned with a series of
niches, full of marble figures in relief, of exq