Fodor's Expert Review La Certosa di Pisa

A certosa is a monastery whose monks belong to the strict Carthusian order. This vast and sprawling complex, begun in 1366, was suppressed by Napoléon in the early 1800s and then again in 1866. Most of the art and architecture you see dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Carthusians returned here only to leave it permanently in 1969. Also within it is the Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio. This museum of natural history contains fossils, 24 whale skeletons that serve to trace the mammal's development over the millennia, and some exhibits of local minerals. Guided tours are given every hour and a half: unfortunately, there are given only in Italian.