Santa Maria della Spina, a photo from Pisa, Tuscany

Photographer's Note

SEE WS TOO!

Pisa is famous for the tower and the square of miracles, but there are many lesser known jewels that are worth a visit. One of these is the church of Santa Maria della Spina, built in Pisan Gothic style on the left bank of the Arno river.
Small architecture in polychrome marble, it once housed the Sacra Spina, from which it took its name. The temple, erected in 1230 by the Gualandi family, was originally called Santa Maria di Pontenovo, due to the bridge that connected via Sant'Antonio to via Santa Maria, which then collapsed in the 15th century. The name Spina derives from the fact that it kept a thorn that would have been part of the crown worn by Jesus at his crucifixion and brought here in 1333, but kept since the nineteenth century in the church of Santa Chiara.The church was subjected to numerous restoration interventions due to the subsidence of the land subsidence and the proximity of the Arno river on whose banks it had been built.Finally, after the unification of Italy, the municipal council and a commission formed by members of the Academy of Fine Arts decided to dismantle and rebuild where it was most stable and safe and where it is still located now.

Pisa è famosa per la torre e la piazza dei miracoli, ma ci sono tanti gioielli meno noti che meritano una visita. Una di queste è la chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina, costruita in stile gotico pisano sulla sponda sinistra del fiume Arno.
Piccola architettura in marmi policromi, custodiva un tempo la Sacra Spina, da cui prese il nome.l tempio, eretto nel 1230 dalla famiglia Gualandi, si chiamava in origine Santa Maria di Pontenovo, per via del ponte che collegava via Sant'Antonio a via Santa Maria, crollato poi nel XV secolo. Il nome Spina deriva dal fatto che conservava una spina che avrebbe fatto parte della corona indossata da Gesù alla sua crocifissione e portata qui nel 1333,ma custodita dal XIX secolo nella chiesa di Santa Chiara.La chiesa fu soggetta a numerosissimi interventi di restauro dovuti al cedimento del terreno e alla vicinanza del fiume Arno sulle cui sponde era stata edificata.Infine, dopo l'unità d'Italia, il consiglio comunale e una commissione formata da membri dell'Accademia di Belle Arti decisero lo smantellamento e la ricostruzione dove fosse più stabile e sicura e dove ancora adesso è collocata.

pierrefonds, quovadis, papagolf21, COSTANTINO, pajaran, Fis2, ikeharel, holmertz, Royaldevon, jhm, PaulVDV, jean113, PiotrF, macjake, dale54, mcmtanyel, fotka, adramad, worldcitizen, ChrisJ heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

pierrefonds (114347) 2020-09-16 16:21

Bonsoir Luciano,

J'apprécie le jeu entre les zones éclairées et les zones ombragées. La prise de vue permet de voir les détails de l'église Santa Maria della Spina. La lumière met en valeur les couleurs de l'image. Bonne soirée.

Pierre

quovadis (5711) 2020-09-16 21:23

Ciao Luciano.

You have given us a super presentation of the well known city, famous not only for the famous tower, but many other jewels located within the old establishment. Beautifully taken, the small old church right at the river bank, looks very distinguish in architectural design and historical legacy. TFS!!!

papagolf21 (152607) 2020-09-16 23:05

Bonjour, cher ami Luciano,
Excellent sujet qui participe à découvrir d'autres joyaux architecturaux de la ville.
L'on dirait une cathédrale en miniature.
Splendide.
Amitiés.
Philippe

Silvio1953 (221463) 2020-09-16 23:13

Ciao Luciano, il guaio di Pisa è la torre, che la maggior parte dei turisti arrivano, vedono il campo dei miracoli e fuggono via, Pisa merita invece un'attenta visita e tu ci mostri un altro gioiello, molto belli anche i due WS col dettaglio e la vista d'insieme, tre belle foto di una deliziosa chiesa, bravo, ciao Silvio

jemaflor (147018) 2020-09-16 23:19

Salut Luciano,
Une image bien composée et équilibrée avec ces deux parties, très bonne gestion du fort contrast de luminosité, la façade à l'ombre est bien rendue, très réussi !

COSTANTINO (116377) 2020-09-16 23:24

Hello dear Luciano
super presentation of this well known city
thanks for all and thanks for your
inormation too...
regards
Costantino

pajaran (115779) 2020-09-16 23:57

Pozdrav.
Lepa stara arhitektura i deo grada.
Dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom i dobrim tekstom.
Lepa fasada i detalji, lepo mesto sa lampama.
Lepa Santa Maria della Spina.
Zelim vam lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje.
Paja.

ifege (47957) 2020-09-17 0:07

Hi Luciano
A good photo of this very cute almost miniature old church.
cheers
Ian

emka (158030) 2020-09-17 0:12

Ciao Luciano, Charming small chapel. I was there with Carlo and Cristina. Lovoley view.
Best regards MAlgo

Fis2 (170639) 2020-09-17 0:29

Witaj Luciano!
A very curious fragment of town, this building makes impression.
Good framing, colors and light.
Well done.
Good morning.
Krzysztof

abmdsudi (95869) 2020-09-17 1:44

Hi Luciano
I like the shade and shadow, and nicely featured ye olde church under a strong morning light. Seamless exposure and nice
overall contrast too. Well done
Best regards

holmertz (102604) 2020-09-17 3:28

Hello Luciano,
The main photo and WS #1 are very good postcards, WS #2 gives us fine details. The chapel is very pretty and from this angle the sunny side of the river provides a perfect background. It's a very nicely balanced photo with excellent light.
Best regards,
Gert

jhm (211736) 2020-09-17 10:08

Ciao Luciano,

The frontage are a nice image of the church.
Pleasant architectural image of the frontages.
Composition and colours are perfect to look at.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John

jmdias (115046) 2020-09-17 10:33

luciano

I remember this chapel, but I am not sure if I saw it while in pisa.. nice view including the river and the urban landscape around. it is a fabulous sample of architecture.while in pisa I left the train in the first station thinking I was in central area and lost many time walking to reach the tower and duomo..
here pantanal (largest swamp of the world) is burning for weeks, lots of animal lost.. so sad.
take care

jorge

Royaldevon (85862) 2020-09-17 10:44

Ciao Caro Luciano,

It sounds as if Italy has done the same as Egypt, to move splendid, important, historical buildings from places of danger, to safer places.
This one is nestling, subtly in the shade but still has a strong presence, by its positioning in your composition.

The Arno, edged by its tall colourful buildings, bears a strong resemblance to its appearance in Florence.

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

PaulVDV (62846) 2020-09-17 11:14

Hello Luciano,
I've a distant memory that Carlo once showed a closer view of the Chiesa della Madonna della Spina. But actually this is a church that is shown on TE very little.
You describe it well as a lesser known jewel.
We also get the Arno in the picture here and the long row of beautiful buildings on the other side of the river.
The church is found in the shade but the photo has lots of pretty warm tones of all the other buildings.
Good presentation of some details in the WS.
Best regards, Paul

Tue (92302) 2020-09-17 12:10

Hello Luciano,
I really like the gentle sunlight here in the background and the contrast with the shaded church in the foreground, which looks so nice and charming. The façades along the river have got some pleasant warm colours too and a nice repetition of the many windows and shutters.
Lars

jean113 (27819) 2020-09-17 13:42

Hello Luciano, thank you for bringing this beautiful building to our attention. I have never been to Pisa, but I know that if I ever do visit, I will want to find this church.
An excellent composition with the church off to one side, and the river and the buildings bathed in sunlight.
A very interesting note.
The council did a good thing in moving the church to this situation.
Kind regards, Jean.

PiotrF (54538) 2020-09-17 17:06

Hello Luciano,
An interesting view of the church of Santa Maria della Spina. I like good composition, nice colours and good sharpness.
Fine presentation.
Regards
Piotr

Miguel82 (47110) 2020-09-17 17:43

Luciano, this ancient church is located nowadays between the river and a road. It has a long history. I like the rosaces and the sculptures on its facade. Fine colors, good sharpness, regards.

ikeharel (113241) 2020-09-18 5:37

Grazie Luciano, appreciated.
I remember seeing this small chapel from a far POV on the bank of the Arno, dur to lack of time could not get a good look at this wonderful monument.
Excellent timing with the mild shadow over this spot, while the other side was fully lit.
The small turrets on top marvelously shown here.
My cong.s for this one,
Ike

macjake (98402) 2020-09-19 1:15

Hi Luciano
its always great to have more and more photos of Pisa, that are NOT the classic Leaning Tower, these are much more interesting and educational - for me anyways. I want to see more of Pisa, so i appreciate this. great to see the shadow and light combo, the light is beautiful as it strikes the exteriors. lovely
cheers
Craig

dale54 (17768) 2020-09-19 10:51

luciano my friend hello and good evening, very interesting note to your shot,this is a very different looking church! simply wonderful! tfs dale

walterantonio (3585) 2020-09-19 12:04

Ciao Luciano,

Bella foto della Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina. Ho conosciuto personalmente questa Chiesa anche durante la mia visita a Pisa. Se non sbaglio, ho anche una sua foto nella mia galleria. È un posto molto ben segnato nella mia memoria, è stata una giornata molto piacevole. Alloggiavo in un hotel di Firenze e ho preso un treno per Pisa per vedere la torre. Ho camminato con mia moglie alla Torre, e lungo la strada, sulla riva del fiume Arno, abbiamo trovato la piccola Chiesa.

Walter

mcmtanyel (68383) 2020-09-19 15:00

Hello Luciano,
What a pretty little temple. Was this their personal site of worship?
Regards,
MT

mkamionka (74311) 2020-09-19 23:31

Ciao Luciano,
beautiful structure indeed. You have composed it perfectly slightly off centre and with the lovely townhouses along the riverside well seen behind.
I would of course prefer the chapel to be well lit with the direct sunshine but under these circumstances you did a fantastic job well balancing the exposition of various areas. In a way thanks to this the chapel better stands out of the background.
Very well done,
M

fotka (8985) 2020-09-22 5:23

Hello Luciano,
Most of the photos on TE are from Pisa of a leaning tower but you show others beautiful attractions of the city. Great composition which shows not only wonderful church but also attractive houses on the other side of the river.
Perfect quality as well as colors, light and sharpness.
Best regards,
Zbigniew

adramad (72934) 2020-09-29 10:46

Hi Luciano.
A difficult photo with those differences in light and shadow, which you managed very well, the church is beautiful and draws attention for its pinnacles and finishes with statues above the roof, very beautiful also the line of facades facing the river.
An image to enjoy, with its beautiful coloring, great luminosity and perfect sharpness.
Superbly captured. I love.
Happy start to the week.
Very best regards.
Luis.

worldcitizen (16048) 2020-09-29 13:47

Ciao Luciano,
This small church really stands out because of its unusual location. It's strange to see the river on one side and a busy road on the other! Thankfully it has managed to survive for so many centuries, and that's very impressive. I like the architecture on the left side, too. Take care!

ChrisJ (171794) 2020-10-08 1:40

Ciao Luciano

I missed this hidden gem. Good sharpness and the miniature cathedral makes a welcome addition to the fg. The bg buildings are familiar as I crossed the Arno by bridge several times. Tfs!