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Known as the "City of a hundred churches", Lucca is famous for its thick well-kept, tree-lined city walls. Although the city limits have expanded slightly beyond the boundaries of the walls, the beauty of the ancient heart of the city has been preserved for centuries.

First constructed in 600, the cathedral of Saint Martin underwent various rebuilding over the centuries - up to obtaining some internal reconstruction elements in Gothic style - a very rare case for the region of Lucca.

Since 1170 the Cathedral of St Martin in Lucca contains the Holy Face (Volto Santo) - an important object of the Pilgrimage route of Via Francigena. There are also many others artistic works inside the building, among which - the Tomb of Ilaria del Carretto, and various works by the artists of Lucca of the 14 century.

Of the original structure, the great apse with its tall columnar arcades and the fine campanile remain. The nave and transepts of the cathedral were rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 14th century, while the west front was begun in 1204 by Guido Bigarelli of Como, and consists of a vast portico of three magnificent arches, and above them three ranges of open galleries adorned with sculptures.

Deposizione, portale del Duomo di Lucca by Nicola Pisano

Saint Martin columns

the statue of St. Martin

The lower section has several corbels supported by telemones, which once held free-standing sculptures. All of these are now missing except for the large statue of St. Martin on horseback, dividing his cloak with a beggar. This statue on the facade is a replica; the original can be seen inside the cathedral.

The sculptural decoration inside the portico was begun in 1233 and uses pink, green and white marble to magnificent effect. Each of the three portals are topped with bas-reliefs on the architrave and in the tympanum. Over the central portal, the tympanum depicts the Ascension of Christ, with the Virgin and Apostles on the architrave below.

Romanesque sculptures of the lower porticoDeposizione, portale del Duomo di Lucca by Nicola Pisano

Deposizione, portale del Duomo di Lucca by Nicola Pisano

The maze is embedded in the right pier of the portico and is believed to date from the 12th century or 13th century. Its importance is that it may well pre-date the famous Chartres maze, yet is of the Chartres pattern that became a standard for mazes. The rustic incised Latin inscription refers to ancient pagan mythology: "This is the labyrinth built by Dedalus of Crete; all who entered therein were lost, save Theseus, thanks to Ariadne's thread.”

There is a legend to explain why all the columns of the façade are different. According to the tale, when they were going to decorate it, the inhabitants of Lucca announced a contest for the best column. Every artist made a column, but then the inhabitants of Lucca decided to take them all, without paying the artists and used all the columns.

The overall design is very similar to that of Lucca's San Michele in Foro, but here the loggia is shorter and the inlaid marble has a few less animals and a few more geometric designs. As at San Michele, even the little columns are fully decorated: some with inlaid green marble designs, some carved with geometric patterns, and some covered in figurative sculptures.

San Michele in Foro

Saint Martin columns

San Michele in Foro columns

In the nave a small octagonal temple or chapel shrine contains the most precious relic in Lucca, the Volto Santo di Lucca or Sacred Countenance. This cedar-wood crucifix and image of Christ, according to the legend, was carved by his contemporary Nicodemus, and miraculously conveyed to Lucca in 782. The chapel was built in 1484 by Matteo Civitali, the most famous Luccan sculptor of the early Renaissance.

Volto Santo di Lucca or Sacred Countenance. Christ is clothed in the colobium, a long sleeveless garment. On September 13th each year, the entire walled city is lit only by candles as a procession honors the Volto Santo. The sculpture, heavily adorned with priceless jewels, was carried through the city. To protect the aging wood, the sculpture now remains in the chapel. The jeweled decoration remains throughout the period of the festival.

Silver model of the Volto Santo

the Volto Santo is truly an astounding piece of art and further underscores the religious importance of Lucca.

Domenico Ghirlandaio's Madonna and Child with Saints Peter, Clement, Paul and Sebastian

Fra Bartolomeo Madonna col Bambino fra i

Santi Giovanni Battista e Stefano

(165 x 152 cm)

Fra Bartolomeo (1472 - 1517) Madonna col Bambino fra i Santi

(details)

The tomb of Ilaria del

Carretto (1406-13), Cathedral of

Lucca. by Jacopo della

Quercia

altare di San Regolo by

Matteo Civitali

The Museum of Saint Martin's Cathedral faces Antelminelli Square.

Sound: Juan Diego Florez - Gratias Agimus Tibi - from Messa di Gloria by Rossini

Text: Internet

Pictures: Internet & Andrei Tischler

Copyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu

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