Photos of the Romanesque Basilica San Fernando Lucca

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Photos of the Medieval Romanesque Basilica San Fernando Lucca, Piazza San Frediano, Italy. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams.  (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Medieval Romanesque Basilica San Fernando Lucca.

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Photos of the Romanesque Basilica San Frediano Lucca, Tuscany, Italy.

Arian Christian Ostrogoths and Lombards

By the 6th century Christianity in Italy was in turmoil. Ostrogoths and Lombards had conquered much of the north of Italy and introduced Arian Christianity. Missionaries from the Celtic Christian Church of Ireland were sent to convert the Arian.

In the 6th century one of the Irish Missionaries to Lucca was Fridianus who became Bishop of Lucca. During his episcopate, Lucca was attacked by the Lombards and the Cathedral of Lucca was burnt down.

Fridianus had a church built dedicated to St. Vincent, a martyr from Zaragoza, Spain. When Fridianus was buried in this church, the church was renamed San Frediano in his honour.

The Romanesque Basilica of San Frediano Lucca we see today was built from 1112 and consecrated in 1147 by Pope Eugene III. In the 13th century A huge mosaic panel was added to the facade of the church which was decorated with mosaics depicting Christ Pantocrator above depictions of the Apostles.

The mosaic was made in an Eastern Roman Byzantine style by Berlinghiero Berlinghieri of Lucca. The mosaic depicts Christ sitting in a Mondorla, eye, giving his blessing. In lis left hand he has a closed bible and his right hand is giving a blessing. the fingers of his hand are making the Orthodox Chi Rho Greek symbol which means “To Christ”. His throne is supported by an angel flying on either side. Below are the apostle standing in a row looking up at Christ. In typical Roman Byzantine style the figures are set against a gold background.

The influence of Roman Byzantine art on Western Christian art is usually played down due to the division between the Roman Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. Estern Roman Byzantine Constantinople was the envy of all Christendom in the Middle ages and its art was the benchmark for all great Western art of the time.

Roman Byzantine mosaics are found in many important Italian Romanesque churches such as in the apse of the Duomo of Pisa, San Miniato in Florence and St John Laterine in Rome.

The exterior Byzantine mosaic panel of San Frediano Lucca is a more unusual Romanesque architectural feature. Normally Romanesque churches do not have exterior mosaics. Mosaic panels are found on the exterior of the later Cathedrals of Sienna and Orvieto. Maybe these were inspired by the mosaic panel on the Basilica of San Frediano Lucca.