If you are an appreciator of great beauty and architecture then a visit to the spectacular cathedral in Lucca would be a wonderful sight to behold! The building of the San Martino cathedral began in 1063.
Ornate additions were made over the next few hundred years which turned Lucca cathedral into one of the most beautiful religious buildings in all of Tuscany.
Choose from a lovely range of villas in Lucca to relax in after several days of exploring all the treasures this city and province have to offer!
The tomb of Ilaria del Carretto lies within the duomo which was sculpted by Jacopo della Quercia and the painting titled Madonna and Child with Saints Peter, Clement, Paul and Sebastian by Domenico Ghirlandaio.
Gaze upon the beautifully sculpted wooden crucifix called the ‘Volto Santo’ which is housed within an orthogonally shaped marble chapel within the duomo.
Ornate additions were made over the next few hundred years which turned Lucca cathedral into one of the most beautiful religious buildings in all of Tuscany.
Choose from a lovely range of villas in Lucca to relax in after several days of exploring all the treasures this city and province have to offer!
The tomb of Ilaria del Carretto lies within the duomo which was sculpted by Jacopo della Quercia and the painting titled Madonna and Child with Saints Peter, Clement, Paul and Sebastian by Domenico Ghirlandaio.
Gaze upon the beautifully sculpted wooden crucifix called the ‘Volto Santo’ which is housed within an orthogonally shaped marble chapel within the duomo.
This wooden crucifix is celebrated on May 3rd and September 13th and 14th each year when the people of Lucca solemnly parade from San Frediano to the cathedral. The crucifix is no longer carried on this procession but on these days it is draped in fine cloths and revered within its shrine.
The Volto Santo is believed to have been carved by a biblical character called Nicodemus who helped Joseph of Arimathea take down Christ’s body from the cross. An intriguing legend surrounds the creation of this wooden cross.
The Volto Santo is believed to have been carved by a biblical character called Nicodemus who helped Joseph of Arimathea take down Christ’s body from the cross. An intriguing legend surrounds the creation of this wooden cross.
When Nicodemus was carving it out of wood he hesitated when the time came to carve the face as he didn’t believe he could do it justice.
He fell asleep that night and woke up the next morning to find it had been exquisitely done! He believed this miracle to have been the work of an angel sent by God and hence why the Volto Santo became famous!
Come and see this stunning sculpture for yourself and tour around the splendid cathedral of Lucca before discovering all the other enticing attractions in the city and surrounding countryside.
He fell asleep that night and woke up the next morning to find it had been exquisitely done! He believed this miracle to have been the work of an angel sent by God and hence why the Volto Santo became famous!
Come and see this stunning sculpture for yourself and tour around the splendid cathedral of Lucca before discovering all the other enticing attractions in the city and surrounding countryside.
Photo credits
picture 1: Myrabella / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Jean-Christophe_BENOIST / CC BY 2.5;
picture 3: Joanbanjo / CC BY-SA 3.0
picture 1: Myrabella / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Jean-Christophe_BENOIST / CC BY 2.5;
picture 3: Joanbanjo / CC BY-SA 3.0
