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The Church of Saint Domenico |
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  The Dominican friars had the church built on the second half of the XIII century and it was completed in the following century. Despite their simplicity, both the facade (maybe unfinished) and its particular bell tower are a very attractive background for the nice square in front of the church. The Romanesque door (which was rebuilt many times) is overlooked by a lunette which contains a fresco by Lorentino d’ Andrea, depicting a Madonna with Child and the Saint's Francesco and Domenico; the protiro before it is of recent construction. In the interior there is one nave, with truss-ceiling adorned by some rather damaged frescoes by artists of ‘300 and ‘400.
On the inner side of the façade wall, to the left of the door, there is a fresco by Spinello depicting S. Philip and S. James the Junior: to the right of the door a Crucifixion again by Spinello.
On the right wall we can sec a fresco by Parri di Spinello (Saint Catherina from Alexandria), an Adoration of the Magi and above S. Francesco and S. Anton from Padua there are some works by Lorentino d’Andrea (XV century), a polychrome terra-cotta statue of Madonna with Child; three frescoes depicting a Deposition of Jesus, a Crucifixion and an Annunciation to the Shepherds of unknown of ‘300. Further on we find the Dragondelli Chapel, which is the only one remained of the many that once adorned the church. Then there are other pieces of frescoes representing a Madonna with Child and a Saint, Beato Ambrogio Sansedoni preaching to the Faithful; an aedicule preserving a glazed terra-cotta statue; a fresco taken
from the Dragondelli Chapel; some Angels, pieces of a fresco by Parri di Spinello; a detached fresco by unknown of ‘300.In
the minor Chapel we find a Crucifixion on the right, a stone statue representing a Madonna with Child and an Annunciation by Spinello, all works of ‘300. The main Chapel houses the Crucifix by Cimabue (1260-70). the most important work in the church. Another noteworthy work is the high altar in Gothic style.The minor Chapel preserves on the left a triptych representing S.Michael Archangel between S. Domenico and S. Paul (1530), ascribed to the Maestro del Vescovado; a fresco depicting an Angel by Lorentino D’Andrea (1501) with a Madonna with Child in Throne; and then a very damaged detached fresco.On the left wall, after the sacristy door, we can see a frieze with putti of ‘600 and a very damaged fresco of the first half of ‘400; a Crucifix by Giovanni d’Angelo Balduccio, and higher up there is a fragment of an ancient fresco of the end of ‘200; further on an Annunciation and a Madonna with Child again by Giovanni d’ Angelo Balduccio: the Mystical Wedding of S. Caterina of unknown of ‘300, a sepulchre of the second half of the XVIII century; S .Cristophorus’s Deeds by Jacopo di Landino; fragments of an Annunciation; two Saints inside aedicule’s of the XV century; fragments of a Madonna with Child in Throne and Saints; a fresco depicting Saint Vincent Ferrer by Lazzaro, who was the great grandfather of Vasari (XV century); fragments of an Annunciation.
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