Santa Giulia, Lucca, Romanesque church in historic center, Lucca, Italy

Santa Giulia is a brick church on piazza del Suffragio in Lucca, rebuilt in the 13th century. Its facade, finished in the mid-14th century by Coluccio di Collo, is built around blind arcades, the central one framing a splayed portal, a Romanesque motif recast in Gothic forms. The upper register of the facade was completed later.

Excavations inside the church revealed burial sites from the 7th century, pointing to an origin before written records existed. The structure was first documented in the 10th century as an established building.

The church displays sculptured women's heads with elongated necks on its facade, where one figure with braids represents Saint Giulia in Lombard tradition. These carved details tell of local beliefs and medieval artistic expression.

The church sits next to the Guinigi Tower in the historic center, making it easy to reach while exploring Lucca's medieval landmarks. The location works well for a brief stop while walking through the old town.

The 12th-century cross once kept here is now in Lucca Cathedral; the high altar built for the venerated Crucifixion image was commissioned by the Bernardini family in 1647. Since late 2021 the church has been entrusted to the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic community, so services follow the Byzantine rite.