Church of San Francesco

San Francesco is a church in the Tuscan town of Lucca. It was begun in the 13th century in the transition from Romanesque to Gothic, it was only completed in the 20th century with the upper part of the facade. Among other is buried in her Luigi Boccherini.

Location and Naming

The church is located in the eastern part of the city of Lucca on the small square in front of Piazza D. Francesco, where the Via della Quarquonia, as well as on the south side of the church, past results. At the time of its construction it was outside the old city walls. Your patronage has of St.. Francis of Assisi.

History and Architectural History

The building was, which explains its simplicity, originally started as a monastery church of the Franciscans from 1228, the year of the Holy as well as the founding year of the convention into Lucca. It was not changed and supplemented, retained the basic structure as a mendicant, however, several times in the 14th, 15th and 17th centuries. After the abolition of all religious orders in Tuscany by Napoleon it was first profaned, served again as a monastery church of the Franciscans from 1844 to 1868, but was repeatedly desecrated and used only since 1902 as a church again. For some time, churches and monastic buildings are fully rehabilitated. For once extensive monastery were three cloisters and even a small oratory from 1309, which is located after an interim building on the north side of the square.

Facade

The facade has arisen despite their uniform shape, but in different centuries. The lower of the two floors was built during the construction period in the 13th century. The upper part above the cornice was historicist built in the 17th century and ultimately actually fully completed until the first half of the 20th century. In the lower part divided two outer blind arches, the façade, they sit on flat pilasters on. Only the actual portal is framed with alternating stepped pilasters and quarter columns, which in turn support the stepped Archivolts of Thympanons. This design has been in the Gothic style. From a painting or other facilities of Thympanons only fragments survive. The strips effect of delusion arises from the use of two differently colored limestones. The large rose window, as described, a historicist work of the 17th century.

A special feature are the two Arkonsolgräber on both sides of the portal. Your basis is ancient sarcophagi. The structure above is from the time of construction of the church, the left of the two is known that it was built in 1249.

Interior and equipment

The church is a long, single-nave hall church. The three chapels of the choir are additions to the 14th and 15th centuries. The church is not arched, she is covered by a beamed ceiling.

Various frescoes, works from the 14th and 15th century, partly belonging to the Florentine school find on the walls.

In the church a number of people are buried, the most famous Luigi Boccherini. He died in 1805 in Madrid, in 1927, his remains were transferred to the Church. A bishop is buried here, Giovanni Guidiccioni, he died 1541st to Friend graves remind partly in relief plaques on the walls.

The church is equipped with a richly inlaid choir stalls.

In just north adjoining cloister is the grave of the merchant Buonagiunta Tiguosini, he died 1274th It is precisely for that year comes the distributors over his tomb and created for this purpose Virgin fresco by Deodato Orlandi.