The Church of S. Paolino

Walking back along Via Galli Tassi and turning on the left into Via S. Paolino, we find the church with the same name (in the stretch between Piazzale Malcontenti and Piazza Cittadella). It is the only one Renaissance building in Lucca.
The Church of S. Paolino is adjacent to the site of the ancient Roman decuman (some remains of the ancient paving were unearthed three meters below the ground during recent road works). The church was built over the site of a heathen temple and then of the church, which was consecrated to S. Giorgio, which was built over the site of the current transept. After 1000 a church, consecrated to S. Antonio, was built over this place, where in 1261 the bones of S. Paolino, the first bishop of Lucca, and of other martyrs were found.

The new church, which was begun in 1522, was actually dedicated to S. Paolino and S. Donato (because of the nearby church, which was pulled down in 1513). The works began under the direction of Bartolomeo Sinibaldi and after his death (1535) they were supervised by Bastiano Bertolani da Brancoli. The church acquired its current appearance: with its three-divided façade, which was built height-wise; with the imposing steps; with the statues of St. Paulinus and St. Donato, which are in the two niches on either side of the entrance door (1700); with its one-nave structure; with the barrel vaults, the side-chapels and the wide transept.

	The interior, where we can see clearly the style of Nicolao and Vincenzo Civitali (who did also the two marble choirs near the transept), was finished only in 1638.
Church di S.Paolino, statues of S.Paolino and S.Donato