Skip menu

Church of St Leon

Overview

The former church is nicknamed "Pistoia's Sistine Chapel", perhaps a little dramatically, but not entirely wrongly. Today it is used for temporary exhibitions, which have a fitting place in the cycle of frescoes 18th-century paintings covering the walls, ceiling and the apsidal basin.

The building's origins date back to the 14th century, although it is hardly noticeable today. Four centuries later, architectural transformations were, in fact, crucial to its current appearance. The names of the artists involved in the wall paintings are only prominent on a local scale, yet the overall effect is noteworthy.

The restoration and conservation work carried out in view of the occasion when Pistoia was the Italian Capital of Culture, mainly concerned the stuccoes, altars, fixtures and chancel, in fact returning the church to the important role it had at the time of the frescoes. At the time, the city was still under Florence, no longer under the Medici but governed like the rest of Tuscany by the Grand Duchy of Habsburg-Lorraine.

 

Church of St Leon

Piazza S. Leone, 2, 51100 Pistoia PT, Italia

Related articles

Food and wine
Photo by: Flavia Cori

Tuscan street food

Cycling tourism
Photo by Alice Russolo

Tuscany with a view: cycling routes amidst breathtaking panoramas

Art and culture
Prato, where art is all around you

Prato, where art is all around you

Sport
memorable tuscan trekking

Tuscany: memorable hiking trails

Spirituality
In Tuscany, in search of the floor of Siena Cathedral

In Tuscany, in search of the floor of Siena Cathedral

Spirituality
A weekend in Val d'Orcia: 10 unmissable churches and monasteries

A weekend in Val d'Orcia: 10 unmissable churches and monasteries

Islands
Island Itinerary: Elba

Island Itinerary: Elba

Leisure
Acqua Village - Toscana

Acqua Village water parks: Hawaii-themed water parks in Tuscany

Historical sites
San Gimignano

San Gimignano, the city of 14 towers

Islands
The Island of Elba and Its History

The Island of Elba and Its History

Leisure
The Livorno Aquarium, wonders of the sea and ecology

The Livorno Aquarium, wonders of the sea and ecology

Villages
Montepulciano, Tuscany. Palazzo Comunale di Montepulciano Girl looks at the landscape of the city and countryside from the balcony

Montepulciano

Tours and experiences
Tuscany by car surrounded by nature, art and unique flavors

Tuscany by car surrounded by nature, art and unique flavors

Spirituality
The Via Francigena in Tuscany: where time seems to have stopped

The Via Francigena in Tuscany: where time seems to have stopped

Food and wine
Gourmet trip to Tuscany to discover its biodiversity

Gourmet trip to Tuscany to discover its biodiversity

Cycling tourism
Siena and surroundings: two wheels, endless emotions

Siena and surroundings: two wheels, endless emotions

UNESCO
The Medici Villas in Tuscany

The Medici Villas in Tuscany

Sea
A guide to Tuscany's most accessible beaches for an Italian summer within everyone's reach

A guide to Tuscany's most accessible beaches for an Italian summer within everyone's reach

Art and culture
Lucca, a Tuscan jewel surrounded by imposing walls

Lucca, a Tuscan jewel surrounded by imposing walls

Food and wine
Tuscany: land of excellent wines and local dishes

Tuscany: land of excellent wines and local dishes

Ops! An error occurred while sharing your content. Please accept profiling cookies to share the page.