Galileo Galilei (Pisa, February 15, 1564 - Arcetri, January 8, 1642) was an Italian physicist, philosopher, astronomer and mathematician, father of modern science. His name is associated with important contributions in astronomy and dynamics - including the improvement of the telescope, which allowed important astronomical observations - and the introduction of the scientific method (often called Galilean method).
Few of the millions of visitors each year through the beautiful Piazza del Duomo in Pisa know that this monument is a theatrical setting for Galileo: it represented a real scientific laboratory. It was inside the Cathedral, in fact, that the scientist understood the law of pendulums observing the oscillation of a votive lamp and according to legend, it was on the cathedral's bell that led experiments on falling bodies.
Moreover, the life of the scientist was, like for every person from Pisa, closely tied to monuments. The Cathedral, a remarkable monument of Romanesque architecture from the unique optical effect, is the starting point of this Galilean path. In the close-by Baptistery, an attractive complex built between the twelfth and fourteenth-century, documents show that in 1564 Galileo Galilei was baptized.
Also in Piazza del Duomo there is the Monumental Cemetery, not only a precious trove of works of art, but also the burial place of famous scientists: the simple white marble walls encircle the tombs of dead personalities such as Leonardo Fibonacci, the mathematician and physicist.
The bell tower of the city, one of the seven wonders of the world (yes, the most famous Leaning Tower of Pisa) is also inevitably linked to the figure of Galileo. A Latin inscription at the entrance, remember that here the scientist conducted his experiments on the grave. Although it is possible that this story belongs to the myth arose in the centuries on the figure and work of Galileo, it is rather historically attested that in more than one occasion the Accademia del Cimento used the height of the tower for their demonstrations.