Shrines of Italy: Cathedral of Saint Martin

The Italian commune of Lucca reminds me in some ways of Siena, insofar as the city is divided in two parts, with most of its historical sites being sequestered behind the mediaeval city walls. Upon arriving in the downtown area, you can take one of several paths which will take you underneath the walls, and eventually lead you into the narrow streets and alleyways that comprise historical Lucca. It was on one of these paths that I came across one of Lucca’s most significant points of interest; known simply as the Cathedral of Saint Martin.

Construction on this cathedral began in the 6th Century, and it was consecrated in 1070 by Pope Alexander II, who was at one time the Bishop of Lucca. The façade of the church was later embellished in the early 1200’s, and is noticeably a blend of both Gothic and Romanesque design; very similar in fact to the Cathedral of Pisa.  

If you look closely, you’ll notice that the third arch on the right is significantly smaller than the first two. That’s actually because the bell tower was a pre-existing structure, and nobody noticed that the church’s dimensions were off until it was too late and too expensive to go back and redo everything, so they ended up squeezing that last arch into what little space they had left.

The church’s blend of the Gothic and Romanesque continues throughout its interior; although it might be more accurate to say that it is a Gothic cathedral with Romanesque embellishment. On either side of the church, you will find various Renaissance era paintings to include The Presentation of Our Lady, as well as The Visitation, The Assumption, and perhaps most interestingly, a unique depiction of The Last Supper, which is said to have been painted in 1592.

As you approach the main altar and look toward the ceiling, you begin to notice a lot more of those familiar Gothic elements such as the white marble and intricate design patterns. For being one of the more obscure cathedrals in Italy, it does contain some surprisingly significant artifacts, not the least of which is the large Crucifix known simply as The Holy Face.

Originating sometime in the 9th Century, it is the oldest wooden sculpture in the Western World, and according to legend it bears a strikingly accurate representation of Christ Himself. It is exhibited only twice a year, in May and September, and spends the remainder of its time locked away in it’s own private little duomo inside the Church.

In the adjacent sacristy, and all throughout the church, you can also find representations as well as the tombs of various benefactors and nobles of historical importance in the region. One of these, is the tomb of Ilaria Del Caretto, who was the wife of Paolo Guinigi, Lord of Lucca from 1400 to 1430.

On your way out of the church, if you walk past that one, asymmetrical arch, you can actually enter the adjacent bell tower, and if you’re in good enough shape, you can climb the 270 steps it takes to reach the top. As you progress, you’ll notice that the ancient stone stairwell eventually changes into a much flimsier metal staircase, suggesting that the original steps had either collapsed or been removed at one point. Upon reaching the top, you are treated to a view of the rusted mediaeval bells, which are presumably no longer functional; as well as the surrounding city of Lucca, with many similar bell towers in the distance.

I’d recommend spending a few moments up here to take pictures and enjoy the view, before heading back down to explore the cathedral’s associated museum. Much like the museum’s I discovered in Florence, this one was filled with a variety of paintings, statues, vessels, and vestments from various periods of Christian history.

Perhaps the most interesting items I found here were the first class relics of Saint Blaise, and Saint Sebastian, with the former being a huge bone fragment from the arm, and the latter being what looks like either a jawbone or possibly a vertebrae. 

On the top floor of the museum, having stopped to admire a few other significant works of art along the way, I came across a scale model of the cathedral itself, which I thought was really interesting. There was no information available to explain its origin or purpose, but it is impressively similar to the real thing.

At the end of the day, I would characterize the Cathedral of Saint Martin as an under-rated treasure. You might never travel to Italy specifically to see this church, but if you happen to find yourself in the area, its definitely worth looking into.