Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy. It is situated on the right bank of the mouth of the Arno River on the Ligurian Sea and is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. The city of Pisa is widely known for its Leaning Tower, bell tower of the cathedral. Pisa's origins remained unknown for centuries. The city lies at the junction of two rivers, Arno and Serchio in the Ligurian Sea forming a laguna area. Archeological remains from the 5th century BC confirmed the existence of a city at the sea, trading with Greeks and Gauls, and the presence of an Etruscan necropolis, discovered in 1991, confirmed its Etruscan origins. During the late years of the Roman Empire, Pisa did not decline as much as the other cities of Italy, probably because of its river system and its consequent ease of defence. Pisa as a mighty maritime nation began to grow in the 11th century when it reached its apex as one of the four main historical Marine Republics of Italy (Repubbliche Marinare). At that time, the city was a very important commercial centre and controlled a significant Mediterranean merchant fleet and navy. After a long successful period, Pisa's decline began on August 6, 1284, when its fleet, althugh superior in number, was defeated by the brilliant tactics of the Genoese fleet in the dramatic naval Battle of Meloria. This defeat ended the maritime power of Pisa and the town never fully recovered. Its decline is clearly illustrated by its population, which has remained almost constant since the Middle Ages. The Leaning Tower is the most famous landmark of the city, and it is one of many works of art and architecture in the city's Piazza del Duomo, to the north of the old town center. The Piazza del Duomo also houses the Duomo (the Cathedral), the Baptistry and the Camposanto Monumentale (the monumental cemetery). Pisa hosts the University of Pisa, especially renowned in the fields of Physics, Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science, the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and the Scuola Normale Superiore, the Italian academic élite institutions, mostly for research and the education of graduate students.
