Pisa, Oratoio | Church of San Michele Arcangelo

Oratoio, together with the hamlet of Riglione, is a district 4 km from Pisa along the Via Tosco Romagnola to Cascina and Pontedera. The settlement was in a strategic position between the Via Fiorentina and the road that joined the Via Emilia.

The first document attesting to the presence of the ancient Church of St Michael dates back to 1138, and comes from the monastery of San Michele in Borgo in Pisa. The dedication to St Michael Archangel, however, suggests a cult already dating back to the Longobard era, also considering the wall structures of the oldest core dating back to the 9th or 10th century, later raised in the 12th century. The bell tower of the church of San Michele degli Scalzi in Pisa or the Basilica of San Piero a Grado would also date back to this period.

Its current appearance is said to derive from the final lengthening of the nave in the 13th century. Over the centuries, the church has undergone changes, such as the 19th-century demolition of the medieval apse, the construction of two side chapels and the new stone altar (using reclaimed stones from the church).

The façade has two oculi, the interior has retained its simple medieval decoration, enriched by several altarpieces, such as Achille Soli’s painting dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary (1596), the 19th-century frame with the Fifteen Mysteries and an 18th-century painting dedicated to the Guardian Angel.