The Church of Santa Caterina in Lucca, the most significant example of a Baroque church in the Tuscan town, has reopened to the public after 18 months of restoration work.
The project was entirely funded by the Italian Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities and Tourism, following an awareness campaign carried out by FAI (Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano), an organization that helps preserve and maintain Italy’s national heritage and cultural assets. In 2010, the church placed third during the annual campaign “I Luoghi del Cuore”, when Italians are called to vote on their favorite historic, artistic and cultural places in Italy, and those that receive at least 1,000 votes can request an intervention if needed. The church of Santa Caterina had reached 19,238 votes.
The church was built in 1738 by architect Francesco Pini and decorated by Bartolomeo de’ Santi and Lorenzo Castellotti. The restoration project featured structural consolidation, paintings renovation and the refurbishing of the two altarpieces.
During the next two weekends, the Church of Santa Caterina will host classical music concerts and tours.
