Santa Maria della Pieve
Santa Maria della Pieve
4.5
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles530 reviews
Excellent
335
Very good
177
Average
17
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Terrible
1

Brun066
Florence, Italy12,580 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
With regard to this church, the most striking feature is obviously the most unusual: the high rectangular façade entirely decorated with small columns that get thicker as you go up from the first to the fourth floor. Art historians explain to us that it's the architectural product (13th century) of a mixture of elements from the Pisan and Lombard Romanesque styles. In any case, it doesn't resemble any other Romanesque façade in Italy, and not only in Italy.
The singularity of the facade is accentuated by the high bell tower (begun at the end of the 13th century), flanked and supported by a mighty wall starting from the ground, at the right end of the facade, and reaching the same height as the tower.
After admiring these engaging features, the visitor will want to know more about the church. And here it comes to know that it stands on the site of several consecutive churches, starting from the late ancient age (4th century), and it was from the beginning equipped with a baptismal font (therefore "Pieve").
On the other hand, other elements of the church that are typical of the Romanesque style date back to the 12th century, such as the raised presbytery, under which a crypt is arranged: an element not absent in Tuscany (think of the church of San Miniato in Florence), but more common in Northern Italy.
Apart from the architecture, the church is also notable for other works of art. Valuable representations of the twelve months are engraved on the archivolt of the main portal, probably by a sculptor from Northern Italy. The presbytery houses a famous polyptych by Sienese Pietro Lorenzetti (1320s and following) with the Virgin, Child and saints. In the crypt is the precious silver reliquary of San Donato (1346). And I have reported only the works of absolute excellence.
Overall, this is an absolutely must-see sight in the city.
Written 18 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mairwen1
United Kingdom9,566 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
Like most people, we saw this 12th century church back-to-front. Everyone tends to see the back of the church first because the apse backs onto Piazza Grande. It’s not a bad place to start. Even the back is impressive with its rows of arches and columns.
Curiously there is one column that is known as the “sitting” column. You can spot this one misshapen column on the left hand side. There’s a theory that says this was deliberate. The apse was considered to be perfect but because only God can be perfect, the singular imperfect column was introduced.
To see the front of the church, you walk down the side street alongside the church, to Corso Italia.
The arched façade is striking but weathered. It takes a minute or two, but after a while, you realise that every column is different. One of the top row columns is actually a caryatid statue. It’s an interesting thing for kids to try to spot.
The 60 metre tall bell tower is also imposing, and is known the “Tower of 100 holes” due to the large number of windows (although there’s lot less than a hundred).
Inside, we were initially struck by the vast, grey interior. There is little decoration and few architecturalornamentation .
However a highlight was the brilliantly vivid altarpiece by Pietro Lorenzetti,“Madonna and Saints” (c.1320-1324). The gold leaf paint is startlingly bright due to recent conservation work which was finished in 2020. Perhaps the best thing about the altarpiece is that, unlike so many historic artworks, this has not been shipped off to a museum and is still in situ, in the church for which Lorenzetti painted it.
Make sure to go to the crypt. Here, we found another highlight - the reliquary of St Donatus. Created in 1346, it is a beautifully elaborate work of embossed silver and gold with semi-precious stones and coloured glass. The silver bust shows the saint as a very young man. He looks barely out of teens which is particularly poignant when you learn that he was martyred and beheaded in 362AD.
NOTES: Entry to the church is free but the church is closed between 12:30 - 3pm.
Written 1 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

G.B.
871 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
The exterior of the church is very charming because of its location (on a downhill street) and the front colonnade. The interior is certainly interesting, although maybe not as much as the exterior.Interesting is the fact that the pieve contains the remains of Vasari, famous architect, painter and historian.
Written 4 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

982rodneyl
Grande Prairie, Canada164 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
Interesting architectural features and very simply decorated, a nice change from all the over the top sumptuously decorated churches we had seen. Right on the main square, no entrance charge, worth a few minutes of your time.
Written 23 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ogi0
Sofia, Bulgaria20,971 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Very interesting church built 1000 years ago and in the 13th century converted into Gothic. The tower can be seen from almost the whole city, and inside there is an old altar.
Written 18 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

bruno l
Paris, France826 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
First church was built around 1000 year ago and then refurbished of course - lastly by Vasari himself who lays down in there. Both inside and outside must be contemplated (both sides: from the street with multiple sculptures above entrance; and from Piazza grande as well)
Written 25 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

westy54
Sydney, Australia9,053 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
As with many churches this one was built on top of a pre-existing church in the 12th century but it was in the 13th century when significant changes both to the facade and internally were completed leaving what we see today.

The church's four storey facade is really quite remarkable, particularly as the church is built along the far from gently sloping Corso Italia. The stone facade has on the ground floor five large arches all of the same size but the central one houses the large main portal whilst there are two smaller portals in the two arches at either end. Above each of the portals is a lunette that contains a bas-relief. Above the arches are three stories of loggias with each storey being of a different height and the spacing of the columns on each storey decreases the higher the facade rises such that on the top storey there are a greater number of columns, which are also shorter in height, than on the second and third stories. Also the columns and their capitals (the designs on top of the columns) are all different.

The loggia design continues at the back of the apse which fronts onto the Piazza Grande but here there are only two stories of loggias, again with the columns on the top storey being greater in number and shorter in height than those on the lower storey.

The Romanesque bell tower was completed in 1330 and has five rows of twin mullioned windows.

Inside there is a high central nave with two side aisles which are divided by stone columns topped with arches. There are three rows of three small windows high up on the inside of the facade as well as a clerestory. The ceilings are made of timber, including inside the dome.

At the end of the nave there is a small altar above which is the high altar and below which is the open crypt. There are stairs at either side of the altar to go either up or down. Upstairs on the high altar is a 14th century polyptych representing Madonna and the Saints.

Downstairs in the crypt are several impressive chapels as well as a 14th century gold and silver bust of Saint Donatus.
Written 25 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gradues
Tallinn, Estonia224 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019
It's really an amazing building and you should also go inside. Just walk around in Arezzo and you will discover a lot
Written 6 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dalesky
Myrtle Beach, SC92 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Couples
From the figures on top of the front door, to all the different columns in back, to the lower level chapel. This is an amazing and inspiring church. One of many on the city, but situated on a busy and popular area. Take the time to truly inspect this beautiful Chiesa.
Written 8 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

yns_10
Sydney, Australia1,485 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019 • Couples
The sticking Romanesque church of Santa Maria della Pieve, has a massive square bell tower and a curved facade with three loggias. A beautiful and interesting church.
Written 5 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Santa Maria della Pieve, Arezzo

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