Luminara di Saint Ranieri

Every year since 1688, the evening of June 16 has been reserved for a remarkable spectacle in Pisa, the Luminara di Saint Ranieri. Held in honor of Saint Ranieri, whose remains are housed inside the Cathedral of Pisa, the event leads up to the Regatta of Saint Ranieri on June 17. During the Luminara, buildings and bridges along the Arno River are lit with more than 70,000 candles, while thousands more tiny votives float atop the water. What makes the lighting so otherworldly is the asymmetrical placement of candles atop balconies, window ledges and roofs, transforming the look of Pisa and drawing thousands of enthralled visitors.