"PISA – Panorama della Citta, visto dalla torre della cittadella."

(PISA – a view of the city from the citadel tower)
archiv nr. 8700

gelatin silver print

photographer and title included

Photograph from a collection of tourism photographs from the first half of the 20^th century, issued by Italian tourism boards. High-quality works by renowned studios, such as the Alinari brothers, were frequently used to promote Italy as a travel destination. With the West German Economic Miracle (Wirtschaftswunder) of the 1950s, these idealized images of longing became a reality: rising prosperity and increased leisure time transformed vacations into a status symbol. Italy – particularly the Riviera and the Adriatic coast – became the number one destination of choice. By the mid-1950s, 4.5 million Germans were already traveling across the Alps, marking the beginning of modern mass tourism.¹

The cityscape panorama of Florence offers a spectacular overview of the world-famous monumental center of the former maritime republic. Characterized in the foreground by the historic city wall and residential buildings, the view opens onto the unique ensemble of the Piazza dei Miracoli in the northern part of the city. The monumental Baptistery, the expansive Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, and the freestanding Leaning Tower rise impressively above the urban fabric against the backdrop of the Pisan Mountains.

The photograph comes from the famous Alinari studio, which was founded in Florence in 1852 by the brothers Leopoldo, Romualdo, and Giuseppe Alinari. The photographic studio is considered the oldest and most significant enterprise for photography and visual documentation worldwide. The institution achieved global renown through its systematic, masterfully crafted documentation of the cultural and architectural heritage of Tuscany. Created in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, their photographs are characterized by outstanding contrast sharpness and precise image composition. The images produced by the house of Alinari decisively shaped Italy's visual identity and served for decades as key motifs of longing for international cultural tourism.
(Christoph Fuchs)

Note

1
"Geteiltes Deutschland: Modernisierung. Bundesrepublik im Wandel. Tourismus", Lebendiges Museum online, Deutsches Historisches Museum, https://www.hdg.de/lemo/kapitel/geteiltes-deutschland-modernisierung/bundesrepublik-im-wandel/tourismus.html (accessed 26.6.2026)