San Nicola is a church in

Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...

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 ...

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 ...

Church

San Nicola is mentioned for the first time, together with the annexed convent, in 1097. In 1297–1313 the Augustinians enlarged it, perhaps under design by Giovanni Pisano (eastern side). In the 17th century the edifice was restored with the addition of altars and the Sacrament Chapel by Matteo Nigetti (1614). The façade features pilaster strips, blind arches and lozenges, and is decorated with 12th century

intarsia Intarsia is a form of wood inlaying that is similar to marquetry. The practice dates from before the seventh century AD. The technique inserts sections of wood (at times with contrasting ivory or bone, or mother-of-pearl) within the solid wood ...

. The interior houses the panels of ''Madonna with Child'' (by Matteo Traini, 14th century) and of ''St. Nicholas Saving Pisa from the Plague'' (15th century), canvases by Giovanni Stefano Marucelli and Giovanni Biliverti, a ''Crucifix'' by Giovanni Pisano, a ''Madonna with Child'' by Nino Pisano and an ''Annunciation'' by Francesco di Valdambrino. A covered passage connects the church to the Torre De Cantone and, from it, to the Palazzo delle Vedove: it was used by the Medici gentlewoman residing in the latter to reach the church without walking in the streets.

Bell tower

The octangular bell tower, the second most famous in the city after the Leaning Tower, most likely dates to 1170. There is no proof, but, as in the case of its other more famous counterpart, the architect seems to be Diotisalvi. Originally it was separated from the nearby buildings. It is also slightly tilting; the base is under the current street level. The lower part starts at the top of each side with blind arches including lozenges. The bell has instead a good plan, with a single mullioned window on each side, and is surrounded by a gallery with small arches supported by columns. The cusp has a pyramidal shape. The polychrome effect was obtained by using stones from different locations.

External links

Page on the bell tower at Pisa's ''comune'' website

The Fibonacci Sequence in a lunette intarsia in San Nicola
*Albano, Antonio
The Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Section in a Lunette Decoration of the Medieval Church of San Nicola in Pisa
(pp. 48–59)

{{Coord, 43.71664, 10.39671, display=title, region:IT-PI_type:landmark Buildings and structures completed in 1313 14th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Nicola Inclined towers Romanesque architecture in Pisa