Description of the attraction
San Michele in Foro is a Roman Catholic church in Lucca, built on the site of an ancient forum. Until 1370, it held meetings of the Consiglio Maggiore - the Main Council, the most important city assembly. The church is dedicated to Archangel Michael.
The first mentions of San Michele in Foro date back to 795. Later, in 1070, the church was rebuilt by order of Pope Alexander II. Today, attention is drawn to the 13th-century façade of the temple, with its huge sculptures and inlays, most of which were redesigned in the 19th century. False arches are visible at the bottom of the façade, and the central arch serves as the main entrance to the church. In the upper part, built using a significant amount of iron to withstand strong winds, there are four rows of small loggias. And at the top is a 4-meter statue of St. Michael the Archangel, framed by two angels. According to legend, one of the angels once had a huge diamond on the finger. In the lower right corner of the facade is a statue of the Madonna by Matteo Civitali - it was made to commemorate the end of the plague in 1476.
Inside, San Michele in Foro consists of a central nave and two side chapels with a transept and a semicircular apse. The nave is supported by monolithic columns that form arcades. At the south transept there is a bell tower built in the 12-14th centuries with single, double and triple vaulted windows. The top floor of the bell tower was demolished during the reign of Giovanni del Agnello, Doge of Pisa.
Among the works that adorn the church are the terracotta Madonna and Child by Luca della Robbia and The Saints by Filippo Lippi.
