If you are looking for a stunning example of Romanesque architecture in Tuscany, you should not miss the Church of San Michele in Foro in Lucca.
This basilica, built over the ancient Roman forum, dates back to the year 1000 and preserves priceless works of art.
The most striking feature of the church is its façade, which rises majestically above the square. The façade is decorated with a large series of sculptures and inlays, many of which were remade in the 19th century. The lower part has a series of blind arcades, the central one of which includes the main portal. The upper part, built using plenty of iron materials to counter wind, has four orders of small loggias.
On the summit, flanked by two other angels, is a 4-meter-tall statue of St. Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of the church. According to a legend, an angel’s finger would have a huge diamond, but no one has ever found it.
The interior of the basilica has a nave and two aisles with a transept and a semicircular apse. The nave is supported by arcades on monolithic columns, and the whole building is covered with lunette barrel-vaulted ceilings. The church houses three important works of art: a Madonna and Child terracotta by Luca della Robbia, a panel with Four Saints by Filippino Lippi, and a high-relief of the Virgin sculpted by Raffaello di Montelupo.
The Church of San Michele in Foro is a must-see attraction for anyone who visits Lucca, a charming city with a rich history and culture.
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