Saint John the Baptist and Saint Paul

Pieve San Paolo, Capannori

Recorded as a simple church in 757, it was then specifically defined as a Baptismal Parish Church in 926. Known as S. Paolo in Gurgite, this church is located in what was the territory’s marshiest area, along the bight of the River Auser between Capannori and Toringo, known as "Gurgite" throughout the Middle Ages. The parish it headed was established in the 10^th century and remained largely unchanged until 1260, when it had seven dependent churches. The present day building partly preserves the plan from 12^th century renovation works. The façade with a small loggia by Biduino remains almost unchanged (except for the addition of the portico, covered in 1698). The Latin cross plan and wide transept result from later modifications. Remains of the medieval walls can be seen on the sides and transept. Building the present day apse, completed in 1668, meant the destruction of the old one, and this century also saw the re-arrangement of the interior. Among the works of art here are two notable paintings by Agostino Marti of the Evangelists Andrea and Giovanni. At the altar on the left-hand side there is a Wedding of the Virgin by Pier Filippo Mannucci, son of the more famous Gaspare, active in this area in the first half of the 17^th century. Also worth noting are two paintings in the presbytery from 1690 of the Apparition of the Holy Face and the Assumption of the Virgin, of interest, more for their connection to the religious history of the place, given that they depict the patron saints of the churches that belonged to Pieve S. Paolo, than for their admitted modest quality.