Lari | Church of Santa Maria Assunta and San Leonardo

The church of Santa Maria Assunta and San Leonardo is located in the historical centre of Lari, under the Castello dei Vicari. It already existed in the 10th century under the diocese of Lucca. It was dedicated to the cult of the Occitan Saint Leonard, which had spread to other parts of Tuscany.

Reconstructions and Restorations

Over the centuries, the church has undergone transformations and restorations that have changed its appearance. The square stone foundations in the apse were saved, while work in the early 20th century led to the destruction of the choir gallery and two stone altars. The bell tower was rebuilt in spire style in the mid-18th century.

The interior and the works

The interior preserves a 15th-century glazed terracotta relief of the Madonna and Child by Della Robbia, which was previously in the castle. In the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament are two canvases of the Florentine school of the 16th century, while the presbytery houses two valuable statues, one of which is by the Pisan Francesco Melani.

Of a certain originality is the Way of the Cross, which dates back to the 1970s. You can see the figure of the TV-man – a symbol of the mental slavery of TV – depicted at the station of the Crucifixion.

The Oratory

Next to the church, where there used to be a cemetery covered by a loggia, is now the Oratory of the Holy Sacrament, former headquarters of the Confraternity of the same name, which houses a stoup and an interesting 17th-century wooden choir.