When its construction began in 1064, the goal of its architects was that the new cathedral of Pisa should reflect the city's power and glory. At that time, Pisa was indeed one of the most powerful cities in Italy, and the treasures conquered by defeating other rival cities were either included in the design or provided the funds necessary to the construction of the new Romanesque-style cathedral.

Covered in white and light grey marble, Pisa's duomo has been described as "a temple of snow-white marble". Its remarkable facade also shows a touch of Byzantine influence in its design. Although some of the cathedral's original art work was destroyed in the 1595 fire, one of the elements that did survive is the beautiful mosaic fresco above the main altar, the work of Cimabue (he died in Pisa while working on the mosaic) and his students. The dome painted by Riminaldi with a scene depicting the ascension of the Virgin is also quite impressive.
Giovanni Pisano's richly carved pulpit is another one of the cathedral's must-see features.

And the good news is that if paying 15 Euros to go up the leaning tower sounds a bit excessive, at least there's a combined ticket available for 10 Euros that allows you to visit the cathedral, the baptistery, the cemetery and two museums - you definitely get your money's worth with that one!