San Michele Maggiore

About this place

The Basilica of San Michele Maggiore is a Roman Catholic church in Pavia, region of Lombardy, Italy. The building, dating to the 11–12th centuries, is a well-preserved example of the Lombard Romanesque style. Archeological evidence, such as Ostrogoth silverware found at the site in 1968, suggests the site may have housed an early Christian basilica dating to the fifth century. The silverware is now preserved in the Pavia Civic Museums. Between 662 and 671, a church was built at the desire of King Grimoald. Dedicated to St Michael, it was built on the location of the Lombard Palace chapel. This church was destroyed by a fire in 1004, and only the lower part of the bell tower dates to the 7th-century church. As you explore, compare the building itself with its decoration and later additions. Differences in materials, forms and imagery can reveal successive periods of patronage, making the visit a way to understand how religious places evolved over time.