Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina

A Hidden Gothic Gem by the Arno We stumbled upon the Church of Santa Maria della Spina while wandering along the Arno River in Pisa and it was such a lovely little find. It’s tiny, but incredibly ornate — one of the most beautiful examples of Pisan Gothic architecture we’ve seen. The exterior is covered in detailed carvings, statues and elegant marble that really rewards taking a closer look. The church’s name comes from a relic — a thorn said to be from Christ’s crown — which was once kept here, though it’s now in another nearby church. Still, it gives this place a fascinating history beyond just the pretty façade. Inside is much quieter and simpler than the outside, but there are a few beautiful artworks and a peaceful atmosphere to enjoy. It’s small enough that a visit only takes about 15–30 minutes, so it’s an easy side stop while exploring Pisa. Top tips: ✨ Look up! The sculptural detail on the outside is the highlight. 📸 It makes a great photo spot overlooking the river. 🕐 Check opening times before you go — it isn’t open all day. A lovely little church that’s a great contrast to the big sights like the Leaning Tower — small but unforgettable. 🌿🕍

Gothic Jewel of Pisa Built in 1230, it's one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Italy, known for its exquisite detail, despite being a very small church. --- 🦷 "Della Spina" Means "of the Thorn" The church is named after a thorn from Christ’s crown of thorns (spina in Italian), which was once kept there as a relic. The thorn is now housed in a museum, but the name remains.

This quaint 13th century church is small enough that one can photograph every bit of statuary and art within 5 minutes. The exterior is more compelling than the interior as all of the interesting works have been moved to other churches. One of the original thorns from Jesus' crucifixion crown used to be in the church but has been moved to the church near the Tower of Pisa.

Beautiful early 12th century small church built of white marble on the south bank of the river Arno, right on its edge. Church is now used are and exhibition hall, not as a church anymore, but ones holds a thorn from the Crown of Christ (spina). Church was in late 19th century dismantled and rebuilt on higher level because of infiltration of the water from river Arno. Beautiful small church looks like a small cake of the edge of the road is one of the must places to visit in Pisa south bank. It's one of the best preserved Gothic architecture in whole Italy. Entrance is free.

No longer a place of worship, this little church is now currently used as a place to exhibit religious artworks. Gone are the pews, the space is now just open. Interesting history that this church used to be closer to the river and was relocated to this current spot in the mid 1850's. The side wall of the church now forms part of the river wall. Intricate and ornate features in marble and timber both inside and outside the church. A unique church.

I have to say, that the church itself is really nice, small and nice. It’s a beautiful gothic style, with lots of ornaments and sculptures. Thou the whole concept was not clear to me: and this is just a personal opinion. The beautiful small chiesa was the place to hold the spike from the Holy Crown of Thorns. Even the spike is not there, it is pretending to be a spiritual and Christian place. So it was really strange to see the advertising of the exhibition of some modern sculptor and a naked man right in front of the entrance of the church. What is mean is I like modern art, and the spirituality is also an important part of my life. But I do not see it mixed that way. This is very personal and I can understand people can have different opinions on that. For me it was not good and therefore I did no liked that

I only saw this by night, but it’s truly beautiful from the outside, seemingly hanging over the river bank

we spend 5 nights in pisa and one of the most memorable experiences is riding along the Arno! it reminds me of both vienna and budapest a bit. i could ride in this loop over and over!