San Matteo

St. George and the Dragon

Church of San Matteo

Piazza San Matteo

This 1125 church was the Cappella Gentilizia of the Doria family, located in the center of the Case Doria complex. The exterior is notable for its elegant edifice, crafted in black and white marble. The interior was remodeled in the 1500's and adorned with precious sculptures by Montorsoli. Inside the crypt, visitors can view the tomb of Andrea Doria, sculpted by Montorsoli.

While Pisa and Genoa were at war constantly, they learned from each other. The black and white stripes of the church were actually taken from the architectural tradition of Pisa and signified the head of the clan’s house or religious architecture. Around the square are images of St. George, the patron saint of Genoa, slaying the dragon. The portals in the piazza display the great craftsmanship of Medieval stonework and carvings done in the Renaissance don't demonstrate the same attention to detail.