Eglise Saint Michel de Murato

San Michele is a small Romanesque church, one of the most beautiful in Corsica. Dating from the mid-12th century, probably around 1140, it was consecrated around 1280. It was built while Corsica was under the rule of Pisa. Its style is typically Pisan Romanesque, polychrome (two-tone), recognizable by the alternating green (green serpentinite) and white (limestone) stones, assembled in an irregular checkerboard and stripe pattern. It is similar to the prestigious buildings of Pisa (tower, cathedral, and baptistery) and to many churches in Tuscany. However, it differs, notably in its much smaller size, like most Pisan island buildings of the period. The building has been listed as a historical monument since 1840.