Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele II, Pisa, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II is a large square in Pisa, Italy, named after the first king of a unified Italy and centred on a statue of him. It sits in the 19th-century part of the city, away from the medieval centre and the Leaning Tower. It is a good place to learn how modern Italy took shape and about the king who gave his name to so many squares across the country.

The story behind it

Vittorio Emanuele II was the first king of Italy, reigning from 1861 until his death in 1878. Before that, the peninsula was a patchwork of separate states, each with its own laws and rulers. Squares, streets and statues bearing his name appear in almost every Italian city, and Pisa is no exception.

His private life is nearly as well known as his politics. He had a reputation as a ladies' man and kept a number of mistresses. His first wife, Adelaide of Austria, was his first cousin. His second wife, Rosa Vercellana, had been his mistress before they married. Because of her lower social rank, the marriage was morganatic, so she was never recognised as Queen of Italy.

What to look for

• The statue of the king is the focal point of the square, so take a moment to study his pose and the pedestal beneath him.
• The open layout of the square shows how Pisa expanded beyond its medieval walls in the modern era.
• Look at the buildings around the edges, which are in a very different style from the stone and marble of the old town.
• Notice how many Italian cities share a square with this name, and think about why the new kingdom wanted him honoured in public spaces.

Tips for your visit

• Allow ten to fifteen minutes to see the statue and the square. It works best as one stop on a longer walk.
• The square is outdoors and open to everyone, so you can pass through at any time of day. Morning and late afternoon light are the most pleasant for a stroll.
• It is a short walk from the area around the railway station, which makes it easy to fit in when you arrive or before you leave.
• From here you can continue on foot towards the river and the historic centre, where most of Pisa's main sights are found.

See it on a quest

You can reach this square on foot as one stop of Romantic Pisa: The Curse of Rosa, a self-guided route with a romantic theme. The app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot, so you look closely at the statue and the square instead of just walking past. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.