The Basilica of San Piero a Grado

In May 2000, experts completed the restoration of a cycle of frescoes painted by Deodato Orlandi. Legend has it that the Basilica of San Piero a Grado was built where Saint Peter stopped to rest during his trip from the Aegean to Rome. It was built in the XI century on the ruins of an early Christian temple created in the fourth and fifth centuries. This impressive example of Romanesque-Pisan architecture was built in stone and white marble, taken from Roman ruins.
The church of San Piero a Grado is characterized by its double row of apses; only one faces west, while three face eastwards. Its main door is located on the church’s northern side. The church’s decorative elements include noteworthy external pilasters, in addition to several arches and Islamic ceramic basins. Its triple order is formed by large columns with capitals and arches decorated in red; above them, you’ll find paintings representing all the Popes until the fifteenth century. Inside, you’ll also see a cycle on the ‘Life of Saint Peter’ by Deodato Orlandi, a painter from Lucca. Archaeologists have recently uncovered the ancient ruins of a sacred structure; they are currently being studied. The church is open daily from 8am to 7pm. Admission is free, donations are accepted.
(Source: Pisa Tourist Information Office)

(Fonte: Pisa Tourist Information Office)