Church of San Michele

The church of Gombitelli has ancient origins: it is in fact listed in the Estimate of the Diocese of Lucca of 1260 in which it is included with the dedication to San Michele. The building underwent modifications during the seventeenth century, specifically from the report of the pastoral visit of 1660 we learn of a change in orientation of the church, probably the consequence of an expansion. In the subsequent pastoral visit, that of 1686 by Bishop Giulio Spinola, the visitor finds in the town of Gombitelli two places of worship which he refers to with the name of 'new church' and 'old church'. Unless the writer of the report of the visit of 1660 omitted the construction of a new church in progress, the current place of worship was built in the period between 1660 and 1686 in a position close to the old one. In the report of the pastoral visit of 1752, the new church is described with the following words: 'The parish church is made up of three doors, a main door that faces west and the other lateral ones with a little passageway in front (...), measuring 31 braccia in length and 13 in width. There are 3 windows, one above the main door facing west and two lateral ones, one facing south and the other facing north'. The church of Gombitelli was enlarged in 1858 on the side of the choir, probably following an increase in the population of the town and the consequent need for more space in the place of worship. No information was found regarding any noteworthy interventions until 2013 when the restoration works on the façade and external fronts of the church were undertaken.

Plant
The church has a rectangular plan and is flanked on the right by the sacristy and on the left by the parish rooms. The right part of the first span is occupied by the bell tower.

Structural system
The structural system consists of continuous load-bearing stone walls and a wooden gable roof.

Coverings
The gable roof of the church has a brick covering.

Prospectuses
The external fronts are entirely plastered and painted in pastel yellow. The façade has a gabled shape with a centrally positioned entrance door framed with stone slabs and crowned with a broken tympanum; on the sides of this opening there is a pair of pilasters on each side to support the trabeation and the tympanum mouldings.

Bell tower
The bell tower, inserted inside the church structure, has a square plan with a single bell chamber open on four sides with an arched window and a top characterised by swallow-tailed battlements.

Interior floors
The church's flooring is made in a checkerboard pattern of white and dark grey marble.