San Michele in Foro
San Michele in Foro
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
1,476 reviews
Excellent
784
Very good
585
Average
99
Poor
4
Terrible
4
bruno l
Paris, France839 contributions
Aug 2020
You must go and admire San Michele
Both inside and outside are quite impressive.
You will notice that external sides of the church are totally different. And at night you may go back and stare at the statue of St Michel on the very top, and try to see the reflection of his huge diamond ring :)
Both inside and outside are quite impressive.
You will notice that external sides of the church are totally different. And at night you may go back and stare at the statue of St Michel on the very top, and try to see the reflection of his huge diamond ring :)
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.
Asiyah Noemi K
Pula, Croatia5,332 contributions
Jan 2020
Beautiful church, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture. The name of the church of San Michele is completed by the name of the place where it was built: the forum, the first center of public life in ancient times and then the throbbing heart of the Communal city. On this square stood the Palatium Civitatis, the Public Palace, which was built right next to the church but then disappeared, being transferred to the Augusta Fortress. Until 1370 it was the seat of the Consiglio Maggiore, the most important assembly of the commune. The church is dedicated to Archangel Michael. Around the church is a beautiful large square Piazza San Michele with historical sights. Famous architects worked at Lucca In the San Michele site between the 13th and 14th centuries and, probably, although this can be deduced only from the style of decoration of the façade, also Diotisalvi, who built the Baptistery of Pisa. The original intent of the project was to raise the church, but it was possible to create only the façade, which is very high and is visible today like a piece of scenery standing out against the sky. It was in this period that the characteristic "loggette" (small loggias) were created by the school of Guidetto da Como, who also worked on the Duomo of San Martino. They are decorated with the use of multi-colored marbles, which begin to suggest the Gothic and are obviously influenced by the Lombard style. Finally, at the highest point, the large statue of the Archangel St Michael killing the Dragon was added, with metal wings. For the attentive observer a glance is enough, better with binoculars if we wish to see the details, to see some of the best known personages of the Risorgimento appear among the figures decorating the arches: Camillo Benso, Vittorio Emanuele and Giuseppe Garibaldi, inserted among the loggette by Giuseppe Pardini, during the last restoration of the church, as if to celebrate the long history of Lucca in the façade. The inside of San Michele is no less interesting, it houses a splendid "Madonna with child" by Andrea della Robbia and a panel by Filippino Lippi portraying the Four Saints.
Written 8 December 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.
G.B.
822 contributions
Sept 2021
It is worth visiting this church even just for the outside, with its four orders of loggias and the statue of San Michele on the top. There are many legends about this place (such as the fact that there is an emerald in the statue of St. Michael and that sometimes you can see it shining at night, or the stories about the faces in the columns). Definitely recommended.
Written 12 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.
FLnurseER
Boca Raton, FL5,621 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
With its intricate façade and numerous artists this church is dedicated to the Archangel Michael. His 4 m tall statue, flanked by two other angels, can be easily observed from the ground. The interior of the church is not as richly decorated as other churches in Tuscany, however it is still interesting to see.
Written 25 September 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.
MphsQueen
Belfast, UK304 contributions
Jul 2022
The outside of the church is STUNNING - the front entrance wall, with all its detail is a sight to behold!!
The inside looks like most other churches of the era, but an oddity is at its core. There, on full display, is a mummified saint in a glass case! his hand is raised in blessing, but poor thing, he's missing a few fingers.
It creeped me out but fascinated the kids - ages 5 and 8. They still talk about the weird mummy in the old church!!
The inside looks like most other churches of the era, but an oddity is at its core. There, on full display, is a mummified saint in a glass case! his hand is raised in blessing, but poor thing, he's missing a few fingers.
It creeped me out but fascinated the kids - ages 5 and 8. They still talk about the weird mummy in the old church!!
Written 7 August 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.
kwagmeister
Newburgh, IN1,639 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
This beautiful church dates back to the 8th century, with the crypt added in the 11th century and other work completed in the 13th century. The marble is stunning and the exterior elements are beautiful. Inside the space has three distinct naves and chapels with ornate frescoes and statues. What a wonderfully preserved piece of Tuscan history.
Saint Michel (in Hebrew the ‘one who is like God’) represents the struggle between good and evil, which every human is called upon to fight. A statue of St. Michel killing the dragon (or overcoming evil) highlights this struggle. The church was dedicated to him. Buried in the church is San Davino Armeno, who in the 11th century gave all his worldly goods to the poor in order to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Miracles attributed to him led to his being moved from the church cemetery to inside the church - and every June 3rd his remains are taken from underneath the main altar and exhibited to the faithful who make a special trip to the church to honor him.
There is no admission fee to enter the church but photographs are not permitted. Written explanations in several languages are available near the entrance - an offering is encouraged.
Saint Michel (in Hebrew the ‘one who is like God’) represents the struggle between good and evil, which every human is called upon to fight. A statue of St. Michel killing the dragon (or overcoming evil) highlights this struggle. The church was dedicated to him. Buried in the church is San Davino Armeno, who in the 11th century gave all his worldly goods to the poor in order to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Miracles attributed to him led to his being moved from the church cemetery to inside the church - and every June 3rd his remains are taken from underneath the main altar and exhibited to the faithful who make a special trip to the church to honor him.
There is no admission fee to enter the church but photographs are not permitted. Written explanations in several languages are available near the entrance - an offering is encouraged.
Written 19 July 2018
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.
Michael R
Phoenix, AZ338 contributions
Nov 2019
There is no admission charge for this cathedral rising above where the Roman forum was and at a crossroads of trade and pilgrimages. I thought the outside had many interesting features, and the inside, as noted by others, is relatively plain compared to others in Italy (and even in Lucca). The angel statue on the front top facade has moveable wings (ostensibly to flex in the wind) and we were also told that in the ancient past, the priests would either pull on a rope to make the wings move, or would climb up behind it on the visible stairs and move the wings, presumably to the astonishment of the parishioners below (maybe an art historian or historian/architect would know the truth). It's easy to access and wander around inside. And worth visiting as a major site in Lucca
Written 21 December 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.
jock16
West Sussex, UK228 contributions
Sept 2019
The facade, completed in 1383 is awe inspiring and can be viewed at leisure from one of the cafes in the square. The interior is restrained in its simplicity with statuary ranging from the 14th to the 18th century. The church also boasts a work by Filippino Lippi. In a way I found it more impressive than the cathedral
Written 2 December 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.
luciana222016
Bucharest, Romania528 contributions
Aug 2019
San Michele in Foro is a Roman Catholic basilica church in Lucca, Tuscany, central Italy, built over the ancient Roman forum. It is dedicated to Archangel Michael. admission is free. it is noticed by the facade which is very beautiful and which ends at the top with the Saint Michael station. The interior is intensely decorated with monolithic marble columns and among the works of art are Madonna with the Child of Andrea della Robbia and the four saints of Lippi.
Written 21 August 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.
Tupf1950
Rijswijk, Holland111 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
It is considered to be one of the most beautiful churches in Tuscany and I agree. Incredible how lack of money can turn into something so unique. Don't miss Andrea della Robbia's "Madonna with Child" and Filippo Lippi's painting with four Saints.
Written 30 October 2014
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.
¿ Se pueden hacer fotos ?
Written 20 October 2020
Ciao, c'è da prenotare la visita post Covid? c'è un biglietto da pagare? Grazie
Written 24 July 2020
no, non c'è da pagare nessun biglietto perché l'entrata é libera, ovviamente bisogna indossare la mascherina dato il periodo .
Written 27 July 2020
MOST VOLTAM OTT LENYŰGÖZŐ nagyon kellemes városka... nagyon hangulatos.....
Written 23 September 2018
Madonna de la Seda patron virgin of the church does anyone know more detail on her and who painted her??
Written 23 April 2018
Sadly not ! I am sorry I only saw yoru question now, woudl love to know anything about it if you found out more.
Written 21 January 2019
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