The Cathedral of San Martino is the spiritual centre of Lucca, an elegant Romanesque church whose asymmetrical façade is crowded with carved columns and reliefs. It guards the Volto Santo, a revered wooden crucifix that drew pilgrims from across Europe and was a major reason Lucca became one of the great stations on the Via Francigena. Inside also lies the exquisite marble tomb of Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia.
Highlights
- The Volto Santo, the revered crucifix said to be carved by Nicodemus
- Legend of the crucifix crossing the sea unguided to Italy
- Ilaria del Carretto's exquisite marble tomb by Jacopo della Quercia
- The small labyrinth carved by the portico, a medieval pilgrim emblem
- Candlelit Luminara di Santa Croce honouring the Volto Santo each September
At a glance
| Period | Romanesque–Gothic (11th–14th century) |
|---|---|
| Stage | 13 — Tergnier to Laon |
Take care
- Long, narrow bell-tower stairs
- Ordinary care in the urban setting
History
A church of St Martin was founded here in the 6th century, traditionally by Bishop Frediano, and became Lucca's cathedral in the 8th century. Bishop Anselmo da Baggio began a complete rebuilding in 1060 and consecrated the new church in 1070, by then reigning as Pope Alexander II. The marble atrium and facade were finished under Guidetto da Como in 1204, and during the 14th and 15th centuries the interior was transformed again, nave and transepts rising in the Gothic style seen today.
Myth & legend
Legend holds that the Volto Santo was carved by Nicodemus, a witness to the Crucifixion, and that the figure of Christ's face was completed by angels. The crucifix was said to have crossed the sea unguided to Italy, and pilgrims swore oaths 'by the Holy Face of Lucca'.
Geology
Lucca lies on the alluvial plain of the Serchio, so its Romanesque builders looked to the surrounding hills for stone: white limestone from Monte Pisano and marble from the Apuan margin, set off against darker bands in the striped Tuscan manner. The cathedral's pale and grey courses are in effect a sampler of the folded carbonate rocks that ring the Lucca basin.
Wildlife & nature
Common and pallid swifts nest in the carved façade and belfry and scream low over the square on summer evenings, with black redstarts and jackdaws on the roofs. Beyond the walls the plain is a patchwork of olive terraces and vineyards, and the foothills rise into chestnut and oak woods that colour in late October.
The view
The asymmetrical marble facade, squeezed beside its bell tower, layers carved columns above the portico; inside, the dark tempietto of the Volto Santo glows with candlelight.
Photography
Morning light suits the facade from Piazza San Martino; use the portico columns as framing, and bring a fast lens or steady hand for the dim Volto Santo chapel inside.
When to visit
April to June and September are ideal in Lucca; mid-summer is hot but the walls give shade. On 13 September the candlelit Luminara di Santa Croce honours the Volto Santo.
Getting there
Lucca station sits just outside the walls with regional trains from Pisa, Viareggio and Florence; the Via Francigena enters the city through its historic gates.
Where to stay
Pilgrim hostels and religious guesthouses inside the walls accept the credential, alongside abundant small hotels and B&Bs in the traffic-calmed historic centre.
Food & water
Public drinking fountains, some fed by the historic aqueduct, dot the walled city, and cafes are everywhere; refill easily before the stage south towards Altopascio.
Safety
Urban setting — ordinary care; bell-tower stairs are long and narrow. In an emergency dial 112.
Accessibility
The cathedral and its piazza lie on level ground with a step at the entrance; the flat, traffic-calmed old town is one of the easier Tuscan centres to negotiate.
Visitor tips
Ask the sacristy for a timbro, find Ilaria del Carretto's marble tomb, and trace the small labyrinth carved by the portico, a medieval emblem of pilgrimage, before you leave.
The guide, in full
The written guide to this site.
You arrive at the Cathedral of San Martino and the first thing you notice is that it is not quite symmetrical. The right-hand side of the facade is squeezed and shortened, its arcades crowding together, because the bell tower was already standing when the front was built and the masons simply worked around it. Nobody hid the compromise, and eight centuries later it is the most endearing thing about the building. Stand back in the piazza and let your eye climb: three tiers of slender columns above a deep porch, every shaft carved differently, twisted, inlaid, banded, patterned, as though the workshop were showing off its entire catalogue. This has been holy ground a very long time. A church of Saint Martin was founded here in the five hundreds, traditionally by Bishop Frediano, and it became Lucca's cathedral in the seven hundreds. Bishop Anselmo da Baggio began a complete rebuilding in ten sixty and consecrated the new church in ten seventy, by which time he was reigning in Rome as Pope Alexander the Second. The marble atrium and facade were finished under Guidetto da Como in twelve hundred and four, and in the thirteen and fourteen hundreds the interior was raised again, nave and transepts soaring into the Gothic you walk through today. But pilgrims came for one thing above all, and it is still here. In its own small temple within the nave stands the Volto Santo, the Holy Face: a dark wooden crucifix, robed and crowned, its expression grave and open-eyed. Legend says it was carved by Nicodemus, who was present at the Crucifixion, and that when he could not bring himself to attempt the face, angels finished it while he slept. It is said to have crossed the sea unguided and come ashore in Italy of its own will. For centuries oaths sworn across half of Europe were sworn by the Holy Face of Lucca. Each September the city honours the crucifix with the Luminara di Santa Croce, when the electric lights go out and thousands of candles line the window ledges and streets. Before you leave, find two smaller things. In the sacristy lies Ilaria del Carretto, carved in white marble by Jacopo della Quercia in the early fourteen hundreds: a young woman asleep with a small dog curled at her feet, her drapery falling in folds so soft you have to remind yourself the material is stone. It is one of the tenderest sculptures in Italy. Then go back out to the portico and look on the right-hand wall for a small carved labyrinth, worn shiny by centuries of fingers tracing its single winding path to the centre. Medieval walkers understood it perfectly: one way in, no shortcuts, the journey itself the point. Trace it with your own finger and you join a long queue of hands. Notice the stone while you are there, pale limestone from Monte Pisano and marble from the Apuan margin, set against darker bands, a sampler of the folded rocks that ring this basin, all of it carried down to a city that sits on the flat gravels of the Serchio. Ask at the sacristy for a timbro. Then step out into the piazza where the swifts are screaming low over the roofs, and let Lucca keep you one more night before the road goes on. You have earned it.
Common questions
How old is Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca?
Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca dates from the Romanesque–Gothic (11th–14th century) period.
How do I get to Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca?
Lucca station sits just outside the walls with regional trains from Pisa, Viareggio and Florence; the Via Francigena enters the city through its historic gates.
Is Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca accessible?
The cathedral and its piazza lie on level ground with a step at the entrance; the flat, traffic-calmed old town is one of the easier Tuscan centres to negotiate.
When is the best time to visit Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca?
April to June and September are ideal in Lucca; mid-summer is hot but the walls give shade. On 13 September the candlelit Luminara di Santa Croce honours the Volto Santo.
Is there food and water at Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca?
Public drinking fountains, some fed by the historic aqueduct, dot the walled city, and cafes are everywhere; refill easily before the stage south towards Altopascio.
Where can I stay near Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca?
Pilgrim hostels and religious guesthouses inside the walls accept the credential, alongside abundant small hotels and B&Bs in the traffic-calmed historic centre.
What should I know before visiting Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca?
Ask the sacristy for a timbro, find Ilaria del Carretto's marble tomb, and trace the small labyrinth carved by the portico, a medieval emblem of pilgrimage, before you leave.
Is Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca safe to visit?
Urban setting — ordinary care; bell-tower stairs are long and narrow. In an emergency dial 112.
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