San Romano, Lucca, Dominican church in Lucca, Italy.

San Romano is a Dominican church in the center of Lucca with a single nave covered by barrel vaults. Strong pillars support the structure, while stucco ornaments decorate the interior and the simple exterior gives it a restrained, dignified look.

It was built in the second half of the 13th century when Dominicans reused bricks from a demolished fortress nearby. This material recycling shows how the city transformed as religious building gained importance over military structures.

The church is named after Saint Romanus, a martyr, and the Dominicans made it one of Lucca's most prestigious convents. Along the left flank stand the tombs of noble Lucchese families, including Cardinal Leonardo Patrasso, who died in Lucca on 7 December 1311 while travelling to the coronation of Emperor Henry VII. The tomb of the republican patriot Francesco Burlamacchi, executed on 14 February 1548, once bore a long inscription praising his dream of a federation of Tuscan republics.

The church opens onto Piazza San Romano, beside the Palazzo degli Anziani, and a raised corridor links it directly to the palace. The main entrance is not the unfinished facade but the left flank, where a portico was added in the 15th century. Since 2004 the interior has served as an auditorium seating 450.

The church is linked to the adjacent Palazzo degli Anziani, now the Ducal Palace, by a raised corridor. The unfinished facade lost its role as main entrance in favour of the left side, where a portico was added in the 15th century. Inside, the tomb of the republican patriot Francesco Burlamacchi, executed in 1548, once bore a long inscription praising his dream of a federation of Tuscan republics.