Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri is a church in central Pisa located on Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knight's Square). Construction began on 17 April 1565 in order to build a church for the Order of Knights of St Stephan, founded by the Grand Duke Cosimo de' Medici to fight

Saracen upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia Pe ...

piracy in the Mediterranean. The project with designs and oversight by

Giorgio Vasari Giorgio Vasari (, also , ; 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance Master, who worked as a painter, architect, engineer, writer, and historian, who is best known for his work '' The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculp ...

and David Fortini was to build a church on the site of an older church called San Sebastiano alle Fabbriche Maggiori, which dated at least to 1074. The new church on the site was consecrated by 21 December 1569. The facade, in white marble was designed by Don Giovanni de' Medici, illegitimate son of

Cosimo I Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death. Life Rise to power Cosimo was born in Florence on 12 ...

, with the help of Alessandro Pieroni; their designs were chosen over Vasari’s original plan. An inscription commemorates completion during the reign of Ferdinando I de' Medici. The bell-tower, also designed by Vasari, was completed by 1572 by Giovanni Fancelli. The main altar designs were by

Pier Francesco Silvani Pier Francesco Silvani (1620–1685) was an Italian architect and designer, active during the Baroque period, in Florence and other sites in Tuscany. He was the son of the Sienese architect Gherardo Silvani. After the confiscation of goods decree ...

. Many alterations and additions were proposed and made over the next two centuries, including plans by Gherardo Mechini,

Paolo Guidotti Cavaliere Paolo Guidotti, also known as il Cavalier Borghese (Lucca, 1559 - 1629) was an Italian painter, sculptor and architect, active in Rome, Lucca, Pisa, Reggio Emilia, Napoli. Biography He was described as having a ''ingegno bizzarro'', ...

, Ranieri Gherardi, Torpè Donati, Alessandro Gherardesca, Florido Galli,

Niccolò Matas Niccolò "Nicola" Matas (6 December 1798 – 11 March 1872) was an Italian architect and professor. He is best known for being the architect of the 19th century Gothic Revival façade of the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Italy. Matas was ...

, and Pasquale Poccianti. The final reconstruction in 1859, completed after the suppression of the order, creates the clearer interior systematization of columns we see today.

Interior

The church display numerous trophy banners, captured during naval encounters with Saracen pirates. The font for holy water (1568) was sculpted by Giovanni Fancelli, based on designs by Vasari. In the counterfacade are five monochrome paintings of ''Stories of St Stefano Pope and Martyr'', including one celebrating the entrance of Ferdinando I on 31 March 1588. This grand-duke was to commission the wooden ceiling by Bartolomeo Atticciati (1604). The Ceiling has six paintings on wood depicting episodes historic events in which the military order was active, including the ''Granting of uniforms by Cosimo I de' Medici'' by il Cigoli, the ''Return of the Fleet from the

Battle of Lepanto The Battle of Lepanto was a naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states (comprising Spain and its Italian territories, several independent Italian states, and the Soverei ...

'' and ''Sacking of Prevesa'' by

Jacopo Ligozzi Jacopo Ligozzi (1547–1627) was an Italian painter, illustrator, designer, and miniaturist. His art can be categorized as late-Renaissance and Mannerist styles. Biography Born in Verona, he was the son of the artist Giovanni Ermano Ligozzi ...

, ''The embarcation at Livorno of

Maria de' Medici Marie de' Medici (french: link=no, Marie de Médicis, it, link=no, Maria de' Medici; 26 April 1575 – 3 July 1642) was Queen of France and Navarre as the second wife of King Henry IV of France of the House of Bourbon, and Regent of the Kingd ...

'' by

Allori Allori is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alessandro Allori (1535–1607), Italian portrait painter * Angelo Allori (1502–1572), Florentine Mannerist painter * Cristofano Allori (1577–1621), Italian portrait painter {{sur ...

, ''Victory in the Greek Archipelago'' and ''Capture of Bona'' by l'Empoli, The polychrome pulpit (1627) was completed by Chiarissimo Fancelli. It contains paintings by the Pisan

Aurelio Lomi Aurelio Lomi (29 February 1556 – 1622) was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance and early- Baroque periods, active mainly in his native town of Pisa, Tuscany. __NOTOC__ Biography He may have initially been trained by his father, Giovann ...

of ''Madonna and child with Saints Joseph and Stefano'' (1593) and a painting of the palace of the Order. The Main altar (1702–1709) in the presbytery was designed and sculpted by Giovanni Battista Foggini with a statue of ''St Stefano Pope'' and ''allegorical figures of Religion and Faith'', and on the bronze throne, a relief with the ''Decapitation of St Stefano''. At the right is a painting by

, with the ''Entombment of St Stefano'' (1571), while at the right is a ''Birth of Christ'' (1564) by Bronzino. In the Sacristy is a sculptural group by Foggini of ''St Stefano and the allegory of Reason and the Trinity'' (1683), made in occasion of the translation of the body of the saint to this church in 1682. The chapel of the Holy Sacrament was completed in 1837 by Florido Galli.

Organ

There are three organs in the church, the first from 1571 by the Cortonese organ-maker Onofrio Zeffirini. On the left is an organ by the Sienese

Azzolino Bernardino della Ciaja :''To be distinguished from an earlier Sienese composer Alessandro Della Ciaia (c. 1605 - c. 1670) Azzolino Bernardino della Ciaja (21 May 167115 January 1755) was an Italian organist, harpsichordist, composer and organ builder. Life Born in Si ...

reconstructed in 1733. In 1931, Giovanni Tamburini builds a new organ behind the 1733 organ. The modern organ is the only functioning one in the church. Image:Pisa Stefano.jpg, Interior Image:Santo stefano dei cavalieri inside 06.JPG, Ottoman and Saracen Standards Image:Chiesa di Santo Stefano Pisa, Jacopo Ligozzi, il ritorno dei Cavalieri di Santo Stefano da Lepanto.jpg, Jacopo Ligozzi, ''The Cavalieri di Santo Stefano return from the

'' Image:Chiesa di Santo Stefano Pisa, Giorgio Vasari, Lapidazione di Santo Stefano.jpg, Giorgio Vasari, ''Entombment di Santo Stefano''

Notes

{{Authority control Stefano dei Cavalieri Roman Catholic churches completed in 1569 Renaissance architecture in Pisa 1569 establishments in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Giorgio Vasari buildings

Interior

Organ

See also

Notes