Pieve Di Sant'Andrea (Pistoia)
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Sant'Andrea (''Pieve di Sant'Andrea'') is a church in
Pistoia Pistoia (; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of a province of the same name, located about north-west of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno. It is a typic ...
,
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
, central
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
that served as a
pieve In Italy in the Middle Ages, a ''pieve'' (, ; ; : ''pievi'') was a rural church with a baptistery, upon which other churches without baptisteries depended. ''Pieve'' is also an Italian and Corsican term signifying the medieval ecclesiastical/a ...
or place that congregations from surrounding village churches use for
baptism Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...
. It is dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle, and includes the famous Pulpit of Sant' Andrea by
Giovanni Pisano Giovanni Pisano () was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect, who worked in the cities of Pisa, Siena and Pistoia. He is best known for his sculpture which shows the influence of both the French Gothic and the Ancient Roman art. Henry Mo ...
. The church probably dates from as early as the 8th century, though in a smaller size. In the 12th century it was extended in length. The façade shows the typical bichrome marble decoration of the Pistoiese Romanesque style, executed in the mid-12th century by Gruamonte and his brother Adeodatus, who was also responsible for the sculptures and for the portal's
architrave In classical architecture, an architrave (; , also called an epistyle; ) is the lintel or beam, typically made of wood or stone, that rests on the capitals of columns. The term can also apply to all sides, including the vertical members, ...
. The latter depicts the "Journey of the Magi", a rare theme whose use here derives from the fact that the church was located on the
Via Francigena The Via Francigena (), also known as Francisca or Romea, is an ancient road and Christian pilgrimage, pilgrimage route running from the City status in the United Kingdom#Cathedral towns, cathedral city of Canterbury in England, through France and ...
, by which, in the Middle Ages, the pilgrims reached
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
from
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. The decorated capitals are by a Master Henry, while the small statue of St. Andrew in the
lunette A lunette (French ''lunette'', 'little moon') is a crescent- or half-moon–shaped or semi-circular architectural space or feature, variously filled with sculpture, painted, glazed, filled with recessed masonry, or void. A lunette may also be ...
over the portal is reminiscent of Giovanni Pisano's style. In the late 15th century the upper façade was finished and the central nave was vaulted. The frescoes in the apse date to 1506, executed by
Bernardino del Signoraccio Bernardino del Signoraccio or Signoracci (active first three decades of 16th century) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active in Tuscany. Biography He was the father of the painter Fra Paolino da Pistoia Fra Paolino da Pisto ...
. Today only the central part, with the ''Father supported by Four Angels'', survives. The altars in the aisles were added in the 17th century, with paintings by artists such as
Cristofano Allori Cristofano Allori (17 October 1577 – 1 April 1621) was an Italian painter of the late Florentine Mannerist school, painting mostly portraits and religious subjects. Biography Allori was born at Florence and received his first lessons in paintin ...
,
Alessio Gimignani Alessio is an Italian male name, Italian form of Alexius. Individuals with the given name Alessio *Alessio Ascalesi (1872–1952), Italian cardinal * Alessio Bandieri (born 1974), Italian footballer * Alessio Boni (born 1966), Italian actor * A ...
, and
Girolamo Scaglia Girolamo Scaglia (1620 – 1686) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. He was born in Lucca, and trained there with Pietro Paolini.Page at Diocese of Pistoia website

Sant'Andrea Apostolo Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Andrea Pistoia
Andrea Andrea is a given name which is common worldwide for both males and females, cognate to Andreas, Andrej and Andrew. Origin of the name The name derives from the Greek word ἀνήρ (''anēr''), genitive ἀνδρός (''andrós''), that re ...
8th-century establishments in Italy Romanesque architecture in Pistoia