category of places

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina

About

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina is one of Pisa’s most exquisite Gothic landmarks, a tiny jewel set along the Arno on Lungarno Gambacorti. Built around 1230 as a small riverside oratory, it later gained its current name when it received a sacred thorn from Christ’s crown in 1333. Despite its modest size, the church is renowned for its richly sculpted façade, adorned with spires, pinnacles, and statues inspired by the great Gothic fronts of Siena and Orvieto. Its position beside the river made it vulnerable to flooding, leading to a complete dismantling and reconstruction in 1871, raising it to a safer level. Today, Santa Maria della Spina stands as a masterpiece of Pisan Gothic, offering visitors an intimate encounter with medieval devotion and extraordinary craftsmanship.

Pisa Italy

Location

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina is located on Lungarno Gambacorti along the left bank of the Arno River in Pisa's historic centre. This petite Gothic jewel, originally built in 1230 near the now-vanished Ponte Novo, was relocated stone-by-stone in the 19th century to protect it from floods, retaining its intricate marble facade adorned with statues and pinnacles. Nearby stand Palazzo Gambacorti with its civic museum, the National Museum of San Matteo featuring medieval masterpieces, Antonella Scarfone Art Gallery, lively Ponte di Mezzo bridge, and pleasant riverside promenades dotted with cafés leading toward Piazza dei Cavalieri.

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina

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