A territory of early Christianization, the Upper Tyrrhenian was soon organized into dioceses, to which baptismal churches were related; minor churches, in turn, depended on the latter.
Such hierarchy is generally reflected by different plans: although all the churches present a longitudinal layout, with an east-facing apse, only cathedrals and the main town churches – and, in the countryside, the pievi – are structured into naves and aisles; they are often divided by salvaged columns and capitals, as in the instance of palaeo-Christian basilicas. Even architectural forms, thus, underline a return to primal spirituality that the Gregorian Reform aimed at achieving in the mores.
Province of Lucca
Churches rebuilt or refounded throughout the 12th century in the area of Lucca are marked by the use of basilical layout: three-nave buildings are generally deprived of a transept and present a single semicircular apse. Naves are divided by columns – sometimes with reused classical capitals – supporting round arches, with the exception of a few buildings, including Versilia churches, where columns are replaced by piers. This type was applied to the most important churches: pievi (i.e., churches entitled to baptize) in the countryside, See churches (where the Archbishop could celebrate Mass) in towns. The single-hall plan prevails in minor buildings, mostly in the countryside. In all cases, covers were supported by wooden trusses.
This is also true for the most ancient monastic churches, structured according to the model of pievi, presenting an analogous, three-nave basilical plan. Yet, the panorama would radically change in mid-13th century with the foundations of Franciscan and Dominican Orders, whose preaching needs led to the adoption of a single hall.
Province of Pisa
Different architectural types were built along the identified itineraries: pievi, monastic churches, private patronage churches.
The Volterra itinerary also includes the cathedral and the baptistery as a significant instance commingling different styles.
Pisan pievi mostly consist of three-naved, apsed buildings, with no transept. Nave and aisles are separated by columns with decorated, sometimes reused capitals, supporting round-arch or horseshoe arcades. The presbyterial area is often marked by the presence of piers.
Monastic churches present a typical T-layout. They have got a single nave with transept and a single central apse. The bell tower is often placed to the northern side, while cloisters, by now no longer documented, looked onto the southern side.
The Pisan territory also includes a few private patronage churches, which noble households had built to show their social status. They are small-sized, single-nave edifices, with or without apse, revealing specialized and refined construction techniques. In a few cases, a small bell gable was raised on their façades.
Sardinia
The layout repertoire includes, first of all, the longitudinal-plan church type, with semicircular apse to the east. Cathedrals and main churches are three-naved, divided by arcades resting on columns or piers. Capitals are sometimes marble exemplars of Roman age, reused. Nave and aisles may be covered by wooden roofings or stone vaults. Barrel vaults, with or without intrados, or groin vaults were built. Different churches, mostly in the 12th century, had a mixed roofing: wooden ceiling for the nave and barrel or groin vault for the aisles. External roofs were usually covered with Roman tiles. Another layout type is the two-naved, double-apsed plan, used for a group of buildings of the 12th-13th centuries, often with barrel vault. Yet, most Sardinian Romanesque churches, especially those of a smaller size, have got a single-nave plan, mainly covered with a wooden roof. This edifice type, marked by a plain building style, lacks the bell tower, replaced by a bell gable raised onto the façade.
Corsica
Marked by the territorial homogeneity of the materials used for main structures and covers, these buildings – with the exception of cathedrals, having a basilical plan – present a common layout: a nave with an oblong plan, ending in a semicircular apse. In most cases, such consistency is reflected either in the vaults, with exposed wooden trusses and apsidal basin for the nave, and in the covers, with schist slates or Roman tiles.
