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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.

The church of San Frediano has paleochristian origins, and is one of the most ancient churches of Lucca. The church is dating back to 600 century - when it was founded by the bishop Frediano. Later it was assigned the name of the bishop, whose remains are present in the church crypt.

Fridianus (Frediano) was an Irish bishop of Lucca in the first half of the 6th century. He had a church built on this spot, dedicated to St. Vincent, a martyr from Zaragoza, Spain. When Fridianus was buried in this church, the church was renamed Ss. Frediano and Vincenzo.

Soon afterwards, a community of Augustinian canons was growing around this church. In the Longobard era, the church and the canon house were enlarged. In 1104, this order was recognized by Pope Paschal II. The prior of St. Frediano was later accorded a rank equal in dignity to that of a bishop.

The church acquired its present appearance of a typical Roman basilica during the period 1112-1147. In the 13th-14th centuries the striking façade was decorated with a huge golden 13th century mosaic representing The Ascension of Christ the Saviour with the apostles below. Berlinghiero Berlinghieri designed it in a Byzantine/medieval style.

Inside, the basilica is built in richly carved white marble. It consists of a nave and two aisles with arches supported by columns with Roman and Romanesque capitals. The Roman capitals were recycled from the nearby Roman amphitheatre.

The highlight at the entrance is the huge 12th century Romanesque baptismal font (the Fonte Lustrale). It is composed of a bowl, covered with a tempietto, resting on pillars, inside a circular basin. It is the craftmanship of master Roberto (his signature is on the basin) and two unknown masters.

The basin is decorated with The Story of Moses by a Lombard sculptor. Master Roberto did the last two panels The Good Shepherd and the Six Prophets. The tempietto was sculpted by a Tuscan master, representing the months of the year and the apostles.

The main altar

Sacrament chapel

fresco of St. Frediano displacing the course of the river Serchio, while trying to stop the flooding

fresco by Amico Aspertini (1508-1509)Transportation of the Volto Santo from the port of Luni to Lucca by the Blessed Giovanni, bishop of Lucca

Basilica di San Frediano

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The church of San Cristoforo, constructed at the beginning of the street of Via Fillungo, where in Roman times there was the "cardo maximum" of the Roman street layout. The Church of San Cristoforo was reconstructed above the ruins of the previous church, which had been dating back to 1200. At present it is closed to the cult and is used as an exhibition space.

The church of San GiovanniSituated between the Napoleon square and the San Michele square. Before the consecration of St Martin in the Cathedral of Lucca, the church of San Giovanni acted as bishop's basilica.

The church of San Giovannithe archeological museum

San Giovanni Church was built in the 12th century and partially remodeled in the 17th but still has some Romanesque features. Inside the church, you can go underground for a fascinating look at the archaeological excavations dating from the first century BC through the eleventh century AD including Roman remains, part of an early Christian church, and a medieval crypt. It's open daily from mid-March through 2 November and on weekends and holidays the rest of the year. Each evening at 7pm the church holds a music performance

The church of San Giovannithe archeological museum at the 12th century

The church of San Giusto built over a pre-existing one, dates to the second half of the 12th century. The façade has a mixed decoration, with white and black stripes in the upper part, forming two small superimposed loggias at the top.

The central portal was made by Guidetto's workshop, and, among the other details, includes two twisting atlases (one now partly missing) supporting two protruding lions at the sides of the lunette. The rest of the decoration has vegetable motifs or fantastic creatures.

The interior was remade during the 17th century in Baroque style(in fondo la statua della Madonna di Lourdes).

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San Michele in Foro

San Michele in Foro

Statue of Luigi

Boccherini in front of the Boccherini

Music School

Fountain for drinking in Piazza

del Salvatore

The oval Piazza Anfiteatro used to be a Roman amphitheater. During medieval times, houses were built on the Roman remains; later from 1830 the area was used as a marketplace. Nowadays it is a nice meeting point with cafes and restaurants for both locals and tourists.

Sound: Luigi Boccherini - Cello Concerto in B flat Major, G.482 - I. Allegro moderato

Text and pictures: Internet

Copyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu

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