Santa Maria della Misericordia church

This church, seat of the local Misericordia confraternity, is located in the old town of Lastra a Signa. The original church was built at the end of the 14th century in the place where now stands the Porta Fiorentina door; in fact, it was destroyed in the 15th century during the construction work on the city walls, and rebuilt on the present site.

In 1585 Antonio di Jacopo Comparini founded the Misericordia Archconfraternity and from then on the church became the seat of the company.
At the start of the 18th century both the right altar, dedicated to the Madonna, patron saint of the Archconfraternity, and the belltower (1724) were built; in 1732 reconstruction work began on the San Rocco altar that was decorated with the panting portraying Saint Rocco in Glory, in a pronounced rococo style.
In the 19th century the Confraternity commissioned the painting with patron saints Sebastian and Tobias and the dome frescos, greatly damaged today.
After last century's restorations the church has a much reworked appearance.