cided on, the Republic sent ambassadors to Rome to the
Pope and to King Henry of Germany, and the Pope sent the church many
privileges, and the King a royal dowry. So they began to build the
temple where stood the old Church of S. Reparata, and more anciently the
Baths of the Emperor Hadrian; and they brought marble from Africa,
Egypt, Jerusalem, Sardinia, and other far places to adorn the church. In
1065 we read that the Pope received under his protection the Chapter and
Canons of Pisa. The Cathedral was finished in about thirty years, and
was consecrated by Pope Gelasius II in 1118. The architects, two dim
names still to be read on the facade ever kissed by the setting sun,
were Rainaldus and Busketus. They built in that Pisan style which, as
some of us may think, was never equalled till Bramante and his disciples
dreamed of St. Peter's and built the little church at Todi, and S.
Pietro in Montorio. However this may be, the Duomo of Pisa, the first
modern cathedral of Italy, was to be the pattern of many a church built
later in the contado, and even in Lucca and Pistoja and the country
round about. It was a style at once splendid and devout, not forgetful
of the Roman Empire, yet with new thoughts concerning it, so that where
a Roman building had once really stood, now a Latin Church should stand,
white with marble and glistening with precious stones. It is strange to
find in this far-away piazza the great buildings of the city; and
stranger still, when we remember that S. Reparata, the church that was
destroyed to make room for the Duomo, was called S. Reparata in Palude,
in the swamp. It may be that Pisa was less open to attack on this side,
or that this being the highest spot near the city, a flood was less to
be feared. But there were other foes beside the flood and the enemy, for
the church was damaged by fire in 1595, and was restored in 1604.

The Duomo is a basilica with nave and double aisles[55], with a
transept flanked with aisles, covered by a dome over the crossing. Built
all of white marble, that has faded to the tone of old ivory, it is
ornamented with black and coloured bands, and stands on a beautiful
marble platform in the grass of a meadow. It is, however, the facade
that is the most splendid and beautiful part of the church. It consists
of seven round arches; in the centre and in each alternate arch is a
door of bronze made by Giovanni da Bologna in 1602. Above these arches
is the first tier of colu