Most visitors come to Pisa for twelfth-century marble, but the city also holds one of the best pieces of modern public art in Italy. Tuttomondo, which means all the world, is a mural painted by the American artist Keith Haring in 1989 on the wall of the Servi di Maria convent beside the church of Sant’Antonio. It is made up of dozens of interlocking figures, each one a dancing, leaping or tumbling shape in Haring’s trademark bold outlines and bright colours, and together they form a single joyous pattern in which every figure fits with its neighbours. The message is universal peace and harmony between people, and the mural is meant to be read as one big image rather than as separate characters. Haring planned it from the start as a permanent work, and it became one of the last large public pieces he completed before his death the following year.
A different Pisa
The mural stands in an ordinary part of the city, between the railway and bus stations on the south side of the old centre, and that is part of its charm. It was not made for a gallery wall or a tourist lawn. It is part of a street where people wait for buses and carry shopping, and it brings colour and humour to a corner that otherwise might be forgettable.
The contrast with the Piazza dei Miracoli, a short ride away, is striking and makes it a rewarding stop for travellers who like to see more than one side of a city.
How to see it
The mural is on an outside wall, so it is free to look at and open all the time. It is best seen from across the small square in front of it, where you can take in the whole composition. Look for the way the figures hold and balance each other, and for recurring Haring motifs such as the barking dog, the crawling baby and the figures with a heart in place of a head. Photographs work well in daylight, when the colours are strongest.
Getting there
It is easy to combine with arrival or departure by train. From Pisa Centrale station it is only a few minutes on foot, so it is a good first or last stop of a visit, especially if you can drop your bags at your hotel first. The city also promotes self-guided routes that link it with other works of contemporary art, which can be a fun way to spend an hour if you are interested in street art.
Why it matters
The town has taken good care of the work since 1989, and it is now one of the most loved symbols of modern Pisa, and a reminder that the city is not only a museum of the Middle Ages. If you only have a few hours between trains, this is the sight that is closest to the station and the quickest to enjoy.
Planning tip
Because the mural sits so close to the railway and bus stations, it is one of the easiest sights in Pisa to fit into a travel day. If you arrive by train in the morning, walk over before you go to your hotel, and if you leave in the evening, make it your last stop. Bring a camera with a wide view, since the mural is large and best photographed from a distance, and take a few minutes to enjoy the street life around it.
What to expect
The experience
A free, open-air look at a large outdoor mural on a convent wall, best viewed from the small square across from it.
Best time
Daytime, when the colours are at their strongest, ideally on arrival or departure by train.
How long
Fifteen to thirty minutes, depending on how long you spend looking and photographing.
Tips
Stand back to take in the whole composition, then step closer to spot the Haring motifs, and combine it with your arrival or departure at the station.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Street-art fans, travellers with an hour to spare near the station and anyone who wants a break from marble and Gothic.
- Families
- Bright, funny and free, and children love hunting for the dogs, babies and dancing figures.
- Couples
- A quick, cheerful stop that makes a good change of mood during a day of monuments.
- Pair with
- The old-town walk to Piazza dei Cavalieri, or a stop before catching a train to Lucca.
- Time needed
- Twenty minutes is plenty.
Good questions
Who painted Tuttomondo in Pisa?+
The American artist Keith Haring painted it in 1989, on the wall of a convent beside the church of Sant’Antonio.
Is Tuttomondo free to see?+
Yes. It is an outdoor mural on a public street, so you can see it at any time at no cost.
Where is the Keith Haring mural in Pisa?+
It is near Pisa Centrale railway station, between the train and bus stations, a few minutes on foot from the platforms.
What does Tuttomondo mean?+
It means all the world in Italian, and the mural is a message of peace and harmony among all people.
How long does it take to see Tuttomondo?+
About twenty minutes is enough to see the whole mural and take photographs, which makes it easy to fit around a train journey.
