Description of the attraction
The Church of San Martino is located in the Tuscan town of Livorno in the Salviano area. This building, erected on the site of a medieval temple, is considered one of the oldest in the entire city, and its name is immortalized in Carlo Bini's story "Al popolo della Pieve di San Martino in Salviano".
The history of San Martino is closely connected with the history of the Salviano quarter, an old village that only became an administrative part of Livorno in the 20th century, when new residential buildings were built here. The church was first mentioned in the 11th century - according to historical documents, back in 1277 it belonged to the parish of San Paolo al Andrea. It is believed that the church was dedicated to Saint Martin, like many other temples that stood along the pilgrimage route to Rome. In 1668, the church was restored, and later, as a result of the increase in the population of Salviano, it was significantly expanded and modified and practically lost its original appearance. The new church of San Martino was consecrated in 1781. In the 18th century, a new priest's house was also built, and in 1843, with the construction of the Archives of the Order of Santissimo Sacramento, the religious complex acquired its present appearance. The nearby cemetery, expanded in 1854, contained the graves of prominent city dwellers, including the famous Tuscan sculptor Paolo Emilio Demi, whose ashes were later transferred to the Temple of Montenero.
The attraction of San Martino is the old apse, which belonged to a medieval church - it was built in the Romanesque style and is "inscribed" in the current building. The facade of the church is simple. A huge rectangular window can be seen at its top. The interior decoration of San Martino is made in the late Baroque style. It houses an interesting 17th century painting depicting the Madonna and Child with Saints Dominic and Anthony. In 2007, graves were found under the floor of the church, probably from the 16th century.
