chiesa di santa maria della spina

zhangmao

向奇迹广场走过去时，阿尔诺河畔看到了，小小的教堂，有好几个尖塔。还是第一次看过人进不去的教堂，但装饰地非常精致。

ReneeSaliba

We found this church by chance whilst walking along the river. its currently under renovation but its beauty can still be seen and admired. Wish I had gone inside.

brancusirocks

Currently closed and covered in scaffolding, but you can still see some of the fine architectural details and sculptures on the outside. A little gem.

FearfulFlyer2

This tiny little church, covered in more decorations than a wedding cake, sits on the banks of the Arno river which flows through Pisa. If you are walking from Pisa Centrale railway station up to the Piazza dei Miracoli (to see the leaning tower) then it is on the way. It's such an unexpected sight, so miniature and yet so extravagantly Gothic, it's worth stopping for a closer look. I was't able to go inside but the outside is splendid. There was some scaffolding on parts when I visited, but plenty was uncovered so you could still appreciate it.

gorkyshaw

Read a lot about this small but elegant church. So, when were on Pisa, we were quite eager to see it. But unfortunately it is undergoing restoration. But whatever we could see from outside looked nice. It is placed right along the Arno which adds to the view.

ginncan

this was a must see during my visit in Pisa, but unfortunately for me it was undergoing restoration in December, 2014. I still got to see bits here and there and I would still strongly suggest it. It is a charming Gothic church just beside the river, rich of history and complicated sculpture decoration!

tRAVellerOfTheW0rld

Santa Maria della Spina is a small but very beautiful church located right at the Arno River in Pisa. Pisa is mostly known for its Leaning Tower, but this remarkable tiny church is worth a closer look. It was built in 1230 and originally named Santa Maria di Pontenovo after the bridge that was just beside it at that time. It was renamed to Santa Maria della Spina in 1333, when it became home to a thorn from Christ’s crown (spina means thorn). I believe the thorn is no longer there, but the church is an absolute gem. The first thing you notice is that it is remarkably built into the promenade wall of the Arno River. But when you look closer, you will see the absolute beauty of its Gothic style. The many wonderful Gothic pinnacles that rise from every point of the roof and the many marble statues on the outside makes this small church one of its kind. The church is rectangular shaped and has a single room interior. The church was closed when we visited, but there are some beautiful statues of Madonna inside made by the famous sculptors Andrea and Nino Pisano.

Suzike49

Well worth the visit to spend time looking the art and marble. The peace and tranquility was marvelous allowing us time for contemplation.

Casz146

I spent more time in this church than in many bigger churches. It just has so many nice small paintings, statues and things to see that don't pale in contract to each other. There is no big altarpiece here, just a lot of nice things to see. This opens up the mind to explore all the wonders this church has to offer. For 5 euros you can enter both this church and the baptistery, both of which are very beautiful.Definitely visit this when in Pisa, you will not be disappointed!

Tupf1950

A pity that the Santa Maria della Spina was under construction (nothing mentioned on the internet). So instead of a beautiful little church along the Arno, it looked like a sad heap of stone with nothing to offer. I hope that you will be luckier when you get there to admire this little gem both on the outside and on the inside ("Madonna of the Rose").

21IanB21

Wonderful art, but the brochures and explanations that are in English are almost incomprehensible - a strong recommendation to the Italian authorities - give them more support!!

andakol

It's a nice old church, free to view, didn't get to go inside but it great to read the history also written in English.

0Lenster1

I saw this church on one of Rick Steve's travel shows to Italy. Well worth the stop as your crossing over the river.

Lisetteki

Incredible carvings. It is so beautiful right on the river. Unbelievable that it survived the second word war. There are bullet holes in the structure still remaining. Very beautiful and very small. Worth a quick stop while in Pisa

alisonp864

This church is very small but a spectacular building. The work on it is amazing, its very close to the river. Unfortunate for us it was closed when we visited but well worth a visit just to look at the outside.