Marble dog on corner of a Pisan Gothic church, the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina, founded in 1230, in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy.


Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy: marble dog. The Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina is on the south bank of the River Arno. The name Spina derives from a relic said to be from the thorn of Christ’s crown which was given to the Chiesa in 1333 and is now in the Church of Santa Chiara. The Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina was originally an oratory built in 1230. It has undergone many changes because of its proximity to the Arno and the river’s threat to the church’s stability. Works in the early 1300s led to the Gothic form seen today. The most radical renovation was in 1871, when the church was dismantled and rebuilt higher up the river. The church was raised about a metre, many sculptures were replaced with copies and the sacristy was knocked down. Nino Pisano was an Italian sculptor, son of Andrea Pisano with whom he collaborated.


Size: 2584px × 2584px
Location: Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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