Basilica di San Frediano

The Basilica di San Frediano is one of the finest Romanesque churches in Tuscany, sitting at the northern edge of Lucca's intact Roman city walls. Its origins stretch back to the 6th century, when Bishop Frediano — later the city's patron saint — founded a church dedicated to Saint Vincent on this site. The earliest written record dates to 685, documenting it as a Lombard church; after Frediano's canonization it was rededicated to him and his relics were interred here, where they remain. The present structure dates largely from the early 12th century and is distinguished by a three-register facade crowned with an unusual gilded mosaic of the Ascension — a motif rare in Tuscan Romanesque architecture. Designated an Italian national monument and elevated to Basilica minor in 1957, the interior rewards visitors with a remarkable 12th-century baptismal font and an atmosphere of quiet seldom found in more trafficked Tuscan churches. Open daily from 09:30, with full wheelchair access.