Description of the attraction
Santa Maria della Spina is a small Gothic church in Pisa, built in the first half of the 13th century. It was originally called Santa Maria di Pontenovo, and its modern name - "back" in translation from Italian means "thorn" - comes from the thorn, which, according to legend, was part of the Crown of Thorns, dressed on the crucified Christ, and which was kept here at 14 century. In 1871, the church was demolished and rebuilt at a higher level, since in the event of an overflow of the Arno River, it would be in a flooded area. Unfortunately, during the restructuring, the appearance of the church was partially changed.
Today Santa Maria della Spina is one of the most prominent Gothic churches in Europe. It is rectangular in plan, and its exterior is entirely made of colored marble. The building is notable for its triangular ledges, pediment and tabernacles, as well as sculptural decoration with wooden mosaics, rosette window and numerous statues by the main artists of Pisa from the 14th century. Among those who worked on the decoration of the church, one can distinguish Lupo di Francesco, Andrea Pisano with his sons Nino and Tommaso and Giovanni di Balduccio.
The façade of Santa Maria della Spina has two arched portals with tabernacles with statues of the Madonna and Child with two angels, attributed to Giovanni Pisano. In the upper part of the facade you can see two niches - they contain the statue of Christ and the figures of angels. The right side is decorated with thirteen statues of the Apostles and Jesus Christ. A small sculptural composition depicting saints and angels above the tympanum was made by Nino Pisano. On the back wall of the church, three circular arches with simple windows are visible, and the pediments are decorated with symbols of the Evangelists, alternating with niches in which the statues of Saints Peter, Paul and John the Baptist are placed.
In comparison with the richly decorated façade, the interior of the church seems rather modest. It consists of a single room, the ceiling of which was painted during the reconstruction in the 19th century. In the center of the presbytery is one of the main masterpieces of Gothic sculpture - the Madonna of the Rose by Andrea and Nino Pisano. And at the left wall is the same tabernacle, in which, according to legend, the thorn from the Crown of Thorns of Christ was kept.
