Chiesa di Sant'Andrea

The Church of Sant'Andrea in Pistoia is known for its Romanesque façade and Giovanni Pisano's marble pulpit. Its portal sculpture and interior carving preserve two landmark phases of Tuscan medieval art.

Why it matters

Tradition places the church's foundation in the eighth century. The façade is attributed to Gruamonte and Adeodato; its 1166 architrave depicts the Journey of the Magi. Inside, Giovanni Pisano's pulpit, made between 1298 and 1301, marks a later and more animated sculptural style.

What to notice

The architrave above the portal shows the Magi travelling with their horses and gifts. Inside, the pulpit's white-marble reliefs contrast with its porphyry columns. Two painted wooden crucifixes are also attributed to Giovanni Pisano.

Context and history

The present building took shape through rebuilding between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The church stood near Porta Sant'Andrea, on a route used by pilgrims heading north along the Via Francesca della Sambuca. Later additions include an apse fresco cycle and seventeenth-century altarpieces.