The San Domenico Church is a 14th century church in Pisa. Inside the church there are works of art by Giovanni Battista Tempesti. The adjacent monastery has been converted into a shopping area. Many of the works of art that were once in the church were moved to the San Domenico Nuovo Monastery.
San Domenico Church Pisa
Address, opening hours and entrance fee
The address of San Domenico Church is Corso Italia, 176, 56125 Pisa (tel. +39 ). Bus: 050, 110, 140, 150, 160, 190, LAM blu, Linea 5, Linea 8, Linea 13, Linea 21, Linea 22. Opening hours: Unknown. Entrance fee: Free.
San Domenico Church Pisa History
The San Domenico Church was founded at the end of the 14th century by Chiara Gambacorti, a nun who came from a rich family of merchants.
In 1408 the construction of the church and its monastery was completed. The facade, according to the ideas of the Order, was kept very simple.
The church itself consists of two parts, one of which, behind the altar, was intended for the nuns. The part in front of the altar was for the laymen and was separated from the nuns by two grids.
Chiara Gambacorti herself was buried in the church in 1420, but from her tomb only a marble plate remains, which is kept today in the San Domenico Nuovo Church. It still rests in the church, in an arcosolium decorated with a large painting of the Crucifixion.
In the 18th century the church was completely rebuilt. The main altar dates from this period, as are the paintings by Giovanni Battista Tempesti depicting “Events in the Life of Saint Chiara”.
At the main altar there is an 18th century crucifix.
Other works of art inside the church were made by Benozzo Gozzoli and Frullani, among others.
After the Second World War the nuns moved to the new San Domenico Nuovo Monastery (Via Uguccione della Faggiola) and took all the relics and precious works of art with them. The rooms of the old monastery, heavily damaged by bombardment, have almost all been converted into shops.