Parish Church of San Giovanni Battista
The village of Santa Maria del Giudice takes its name, starting in the 12th century, from a noble family of Lombard origins from Lucca (the Leone Giudices), who owned extensive property here. The new road to Pisa cuts the village in two, and the two parish churches are located on opposite sides of the road. On one side is the historic parish church of San Giovanni Battita (which locals call the "old parish church"), and on the other is the "new parish church," dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta.
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ADDRESS: Via della Pieve Vecchia, Santa Maria del Giudice
The first dates back to the 4th century and was dedicated to Saint Christina. In the 8th century, it became the "plebs Baptismalis" of all the churches in the area. In the 9th century, it was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.
Its current form dates back to the second half of the 12th century, as confirmed by an inscription on the architrave of the portal which reports the date 1160/1170.
Of the ancient religious building only the bell tower and some early medieval decorations on the external corbels remain.
At the end of the 16th century, after the construction of the new baptismal font in the nearby church of Santa Maria Assunta, the parish church of San Giovanni lost importance and has since been called the "old parish church." However, it remains one of the most significant examples of a Romanesque parish church in the entire Lucca area, a perfect example of the Pisan-Lucca Romanesque style of great balance and purity.
The church is constructed with squared white limestone ashlars from nearby quarries. The façade features a double row of blind loggias, decorated with the typical two-tone scheme featuring dark green serpentine inserts, a feature also found in other churches in Lucca. The architrave of the central portal, adorned with a spiraling plant motif and surmounted by a lunette, is of the finest quality and classical in style.
The façade is slightly asymmetrical due to the presence of the bell tower, which already existed when the current church was built, originally used as a watchtower.
The interior is simple and austere, with wooden trusses covering the roof, and the use of white limestone lends it an almost dazzling purity. The three naves are separated by round arches, and the central nave ends in a semicircular apse.
Itinera Romanica (Romanesque itineraries)
Today the church is an important stop on one of the many Romanesque itineraries that characterize the Upper Tyrrhenian area, between Italy and France.
Nature, historical, and cultural itineraries that pass through small hilltop villages and rural areas along paths and ancient trails, where you encounter minor religious architecture to be rediscovered and enhanced, such as churches, basilicas, parish churches, and chapels.
The church of San Giovanni Battista in Santa Maria del Giudice is undoubtedly one of the most significant examples of a Romanesque parish church in the Monti Pisani area, and it still retains intact the formal characteristics of balance and purity originating from the Pisan Romanesque style. The parish church was founded on the site of a small early medieval church dedicated to Santa Cristina, mentioned in documents as early as 918.
The building has a rectangular plan, with a semicircular apse facing east. The basilica-like layout is divided into three naves by round arches supported by stone columns and pillars. The entire main façade is slightly asymmetrical due to the presence, on the left side, of the bell tower, which predates the construction of the church and was presumably previously used as a watchtower.