Monuments of Stazzema

The pieve of Santa Maria Assunta at Stazzema
At Stazzema we find this pieve, erected in the 9th century and enlarged, as usual, in the 12th century.
The church, despite its having been declared a national monument, is still unknown to many and in poor condition.
However, it emanates an extraordinary fascination due to its original beauty and splendid position.
A beautiful 16th century marble rose window stands out in its façade.
The three-naved interior presents a partition of small Roman-Gothic pillars. Some elegant 17th century altars can be found there, while in the presbytery we find the Madonna Assunta, attributed by some to Rosselli.
But the outstanding piece is the magnificent 17th century organ, which according to the stories, was brought as far as Ponte Stazzemese by ox cart, and from there, on human shoulders. In 1270, the church was the site of an important historical event: representatives from Pisa, Versilia, and Garfagnana swore the constitution of the League against Lucca.

The pieve of the Chapel at Azzano.
This pieve is a few kilometers from Azzano, on the road to Mount Altissimo.
The church, which can only be reached by foot, is peculiar in that it is entirely constructed of marble.
It was erected before the year one thousand, and tampered with in the 13th century.
The bell-tower, a little ahead of the façade, still has its pre-Romanesque appearance (10th -11th centuries), an impressive quadrangular tower, barely lightened by the four two-lighted openings of the upper section.
A portico was added to the façade in the 16th century, which was destroyed in the Second World War, of which there are still traces in the wall and signs of support beams.
The precious rose window, dated to mid-16th century, is affectionately called "Michelangelo's eye".
It would seem that the great artist, during his stay at Azzano (1518-1521), designed the window as well as the portico.
The interior, a tripartite rectangle without transept, preserves three notable marble altars dating to the 12th century.