Basilica di San Michele Maggiore, Pavia

This Romanesque basilica in the centre of Pavia, south of Milan, was for centuries the site where kings of Italy were crowned, giving it a prominent place in medieval history. Its sandstone facade is carved with a dense band of figures, beasts and interlacing patterns, now softened by the weathering of the pale stone. Inside, a raised presbytery covers a crypt, and worn sculpted capitals line the nave. Damaged by earthquakes and repaired over the ages, the church remains one of the finest examples of Lombard Romanesque architecture.