Saint Lorenzo Church in Vicenza, Gothic church building in Piazza San Lorenzo, Vicenza, Italy
Saint Lorenzo Church is a Gothic church on Piazza San Lorenzo in Vicenza, with a facade marked by seven pointed arches. Inside, three naves are divided by cylindrical pillars, and terracotta-colored ribs run along the ceiling above.
Franciscan friars began building the church in 1280 and completed the main structure around 1300. It remained a gathering point for the local Franciscan community for several centuries after that.
The main portal carries carved stone figures showing Mary with Child, Saint Francis, and Saint Lorenzo. These sculptures are a rare example of 14th-century stonework in the Veneto region and can be observed up close from the square.
The church sits on Piazza San Lorenzo and is easy to reach on foot from the center of Vicenza. Visiting outside of main service times gives you more space to look around and take in the facade details.
Four 14th-century sarcophagi are set into the side arches of the facade, holding the remains of locally important figures. Placing tombs directly into a church facade was a mark of high social standing in medieval Italy and is rarely seen today.
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