Pisa - San Paolo a Ripa d'Arno

A church existed, near the banks of the river Arno = "Ripa d'Arno", since Carolingian times. When this fell into ruins, the erection of the church seen today, startet in the 10th century. It took more than two centuries, to complete "San Paolo a Ripa d'Arno", that got consecrated already by Pope Eugene III already in 1148. The church belonged to a various convents over the centuries, but since 1798 the church serves the parish.

The church is a three-aisled basilica on the floor plan of a Latin cross. The crossing has a pendentive cupola.

Mid 19th century the church underwent a major reconstruction - and suffered great damage during WWII. It got restorated in the early 1950s, but as seen here, needs efforts again - and so it was cordoned off in March 2013.