Santa Maria della Spina, Pisa

...subject of this op.
Santa Maria della Spina is one of the first things that catches your attention by walking along the Arno (on the Lurgarno).
It is situated near the Ponte Solferino, it is one bridge from the city main roads (Borgo Stretto and Corso Italia) where there is Palazzo Gambacorti, the municipality. (Easily reachable by feet)
It was edified in 1230 as an oratory to protect the "ponte novo", a bridge linking ...
...S. Maria del pontenovo.
It is the result of a lot of works: maintenance and enlarging one, it was first edified on the Arno river and then dismantled and rebuild upon the Lungarno around 1871.

It has the typical Gothic aspects mixed with Romanesque and Oriental ones. In Italy this architectural style is known as Gotico Pisano.
It is a little building, but rich on decoration, it is the result of many years work because ... more

All of the people in the world has already name Pisa because of the tower. Not so many people knows the other interesting things Pisa has to offer.
It is a mix of various architectural styles grown up as time passed by.
I live there, so before I start with my review about the church, I just may give you some suggestions in the case you'd like to visit Pisa.

My first thought about Pisa was that I didn't like it a lot. A quite calm city to live, but not so typical, very different to my born city. However my opinion has changed in this three years I spent in this place.
Its main buildings were started in the medieval age and some in the Renaissance.
Campo dei miracoli and S. Maria della Spina are middle age oriented, also if with a lot of Arabic influences.
It hosted a lot of famous personalities: it's Galileo Galilei born city, and was chosen by a lot of artists as a temporary residence, like Leopardi, Shelly and Byron.
I think that you must take a tour around it, in every road, above all the little one, you can find little but beautiful buildings, you can see through the houses windows Renaissance wall paintings, or vaults…

Well let's return to the main subject of this op.
Santa Maria della Spina is one of the first things that catches your attention by walking along the Arno (on the Lurgarno).
It is situated near the Ponte Solferino, it is one bridge from the city main roads (Borgo Stretto and Corso Italia) where there is Palazzo Gambacorti, the municipality. (Easily reachable by feet)
It was edified in 1230 as an oratory to protect the "ponte novo", a bridge linking S. Antonio and S. Maria road and it was called S. Maria del pontenovo.
It is the result of a lot of works: maintenance and enlarging one, it was first edified on the Arno river and then dismantled and rebuild upon the Lungarno around 1871.

It has the typical Gothic aspects mixed with Romanesque and Oriental ones. In Italy this architectural style is known as Gotico Pisano.
It is a little building, but rich on decoration, it is the result of many years work because it was completed in 1376, made with Carrara double chromic marble with three pyramidal pinnacles on his back, it's full of sculptures of famous Italian artists like Giovanni Pisano, Luigi Corona, Nicola Pisano, and other more, such as the "Madonna col Bambino" (Giovanni Pisano) and the twelve apostle statue.

Inside it is very simple, not so decorated as the outside, also because a lot of its paintings were moved in occasion of the 1871 works.
However you can see the "Madonna del latte" and the "Madonna con Bambino" sculptures by Andrea and Nino Pisano (the second is also known as "Madonna della rosa").

I strictly recommend you to visit it, the entrance ticket costs 1.50 € (1.00€ for 15 people groups).
Open in:
January, February, November, December:
- Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00-14.00
March and October
- Tuesday to Friday: 10.00-13.00 and 14.30-17.00
Closed on Monday, from 24 December to the 2nd of January, the 1st of march and the 15th of August. 

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