As soon as he arrived he put everything in order for building the facade, he himself went to Carrara to transport marbles, not only for the facade but also for the tomb, relying upon the promise of the Pope that he would be able to go on with it.

In the meantime the Pope was informed that in the mountains of Pietrasanta, in the Florentine territory, there were marbles as good and beautiful as at Carrara.

When this was discussed with Michael Angelo, he, as a friend of the Marchese Alberigo, and having come to an understanding with him about the marbles, preferred rather to quarry at Carrara than at these new places in the State of Florence.

The Pope wrote to Michael Angelo and commanded him to go to Pietrasanta and see if it was as he heard from Florence.

He went there and found the marble very unmanageable and unsuitable;( 47) and even if it had been suitable, it would be a difficult and very expensive business to bring it down to the sea; for it would require a new road to be constructed for several miles over the mountains with pickaxes, and across the plains, which were very marshy, on piles.
Michael Angelo wrote all this to the Pope; but he rather believed those who had written to him from Florence, and ordered him to make the road.