A tour of faith in Livorno

The Churches in Livorno reflect the history of the town, which has always been the intersection of different cultures

Many different religions have made the city of Livorno their home over the centuries and now we can still see their traces in much of the city’s architecture. Apart from Catholic churches, with their emphasis on representation of the Virgin Mary, there are also Jewish, Greek, Armenian, Dutch-German and English places of worship.

Livorno, chiesa armena e chiesa della Madonna - Credit: Etienne, Wikipedia

The Armenian Church, with its impressive Baroque façade is in via della Madonna. One of the city’s oldest churches is in the same street, the church of Santissima Annunziata, also known as the United Greek church. This church was built in the seventeenth century and houses some splendid wooden works. The Flemish community established here in Livorno at the end of the seventeenth century and built the Neo-Gothic Dutch church in the nineteenth century.

Montenero Sanctuary, Livorno

In via Verdi, opposite the entrance to the Old English Cemetery, is the Neo-Classic Anglican church. Piazza Benamozegh is home to the current Israelite Temple which was completely re-built after the synagogue was destroyed during the Second World War.

There are many Catholic churches in Livorno dedicated to the Madonna, like the church of the Madonna in via della Madonna. This well-preserved church was built in the seventeenth century. There is also the church of Santa Maria del Soccorso which stands in the shadowy piazza della Vittoria.

The highest point of a tour of the city’s churches is a visit to the Montenero Sanctuary, dedicated to the patron saint of Tuscany, Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Cathedral, Livorno

The Cathedral of Livorno is dedicated to San Francesco and is situated in Piazza Grande. The church of Santa Giulia, next to the Cathedral, is dedicated to the city’s own patron saint. This church was made built between 1602 and 1603 by Ferdinando I de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. You can see a canvas from Giotto's school placed over the main altar. In the heart of the historic Venezia district is the de-consecrated church of Luogo Pio which provides a great example of Late Baroque architecture. This district is also home to the octagonal-shaped church of Santa Caterina in Piazza dei Domenicani and the church of San Ferdinando in piazza Anita Garibaldi which is also known as the church ‘della Crocetta’ and which is another excellent example of Late Baroque architecture. Along the seafront in Piazza San Jacopo is the church of San Jacopo in Acquaviva which was built on the ruins of a fourth-century hermitage.