The exterior of the Cathedral of San Martino in Lucca does not have the same harmony of style as the interior; on the contrary, the architectural fea… - Enrico Ridolfi

That the simulacrum of Christ Crucified known as the Holy Face (which Dante also wanted to touch in his Poem) is very ancient is not to be doubted; all its characteristics, which we will discuss below, are those of an image of great antiquity and, in the opinion of many, of a Byzantine image. And although explicit records do not show it in the Cathedral of Lucca until the 12th century, and the coins bearing its effigy cannot be traced back beyond the 13th century, according to numismatists, such documents suggest that it existed long before that, and there are many reasonable inferences that demonstrate that its transfer to Lucca dates back to the end of the 8th century. (pp. 135-136)

Although the Cathedral of Lucca is not one of the largest churches built in Italy during the Middle Ages, it is nevertheless one of the most remarkable for its structure and one of the most beautiful, especially inside, thanks to the harmonious lines and the admirable balance between the fantastic and the severe, which gives the building a truly sacred and solemn character, achieved in equal measure by very few of those that surpass it in size and richness of ornamentation. (p. 5)

The money changers and other merchants known as ‘speciarii’ (sellers of aromatics) had their stalls under the portico of the church. A special office, or special court, called the Curia di s. Martino; it was located near the basilica, and the merchants themselves had to swear an oath not to commit fraud in the exercise of their trade. (p. 11)