MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Pisa University’s Museum of Natural History was founded in 1500 by Ferdinando I de Medici. Covering an area of over 4000 meters on three floors of the ancient Carthusian monastery in Calci, its collections include ancient animal artefacts, fossils and minerals, as well as an aquarium and many special exhibitions.
A visit to this museum will transport you back to remote times, through unique ancient artefacts. Of particular interest are the palaeontology sections devoted to the dinosaurs, and the aquarium.
The fascinating exhibit on the history of the dinosaurs, particularly popular with children, unfolds through various rooms containing full-size skeletal reconstructions of different species and a full-scale model of an archaeological dig in Patagonia.
The aquarium (la Galleria degli Acquari) consists of two tanks, the first one holding examples of Tuscan sea fauna, while the second is devoted to fresh water fish. Observing the extraordinary shapes and colours of these fish is an unforgettable experience for all ages.
Museum guests can arrange theme-driven guided tours suitable to the participants’ age and interests, so as to offer an unforgettable experience, especially for children and youth to introduce them to the wonderful world of nature.
THE PISA CHARTERHOUSE
he Charterhouse of Pisa (La Certosa di Calci) is a former Carthusian monastery built in 1366. Apart from the age-old austere cells of the monks, it also houses the Pisa University Museum of Natural History, one of the oldest museums in the world.
A monumental complex of great historical and cultural importance, the Charterhouse straddles a foothill in the green valley known as Val Graziosa. Over the centuries it has become an essential destination for all art enthusiasts visiting Tuscany, both for its architecture and the treasures it holds, many of them dating back to Baroque times.
From its original function as an austere monastery, in the 17th century the Charterhouse was converted into an opulent Baroque residence with frescos, marble facings, elaborate plasterwork and luxurious furnishing, which still today can be admired in all their splendour.
Particularly noteworthy are the Chapels of St. Joseph and the Rosary by the Livorno painter Giuseppe Maria Terreni, the same artist responsible for the famous altarpiece depicting the Madonna of the Rosary, Fra San Domenico and Beata Rosellina, a masterpiece of 18th-century Italian painting.
SAN ROSSORE NATURE RESERVE
The Nature Reserve of San Rossore, Migliarino and Massaciuccoli is one of the oldest nature parks in Tuscany, with 230 square km of protected ecosystem, accounting for over 10% of Tuscan’s nature reserve areas.
Extending along the coastline connecting the provinces of Pisa and Lucca, the park is divided into three large sections: to the north, La Macchia Lucchese woodland; inland, the Lake of Massaicuccoli and surrounding marsh; and finally the so-called “Secche della Memoria” (Memory Shoals), an important system of rocky shallows whose seabed is of exceeding natural and scientific interest.
A visit to the park offers a wide range of possibilities for discovering the flora and fauna of the woods. Some itineraries can be undertaken on your own, on foot or by horse, others require a guide. Massaciuccoli Lake can also be visited by boat.
Due to the abundance of rare species of birds, San Rossore park has also been designated as a protected area by the “Italian League for Bird Protection” (LIPU) and has over time become a favourite destination for dedicated birdwatchers in Tuscany.
Nature lovers will find Locanda Sant’Agata an ideal location for visiting the nearby San Rossore Park and spend unforgettable days engrossed in its rare flora and fauna.
