San Jacopo in Polverosa

A church with two names? You’re right, that’s unusual. But that’s just the beginning of the story of San Jacopo in Polverosa. Locals often call it San Jacopino, and it’s the heart of the Florentine district that bears its name. The name San Jacopino is a nod to Saint James the Less, one of the apostles. The current San Jacopo in Polverosa you see before you is relatively new, built in the 1930s. It replaced an older church that stood in the nearby Piazza San Jacopino. That older church, dating back to the 13th century, wasn’t so lucky. It fell victim to the chaos of World War II, heavily damaged during a bombing raid in 1944. The war ended, and the remnants of the old were swept away to make way for the new San Jacopo in Polverosa. Interestingly, the original San Jacopo in Polverosa wasn’t always known by that name. It went by “San Jacopo della Burella” for a time. The reason for this name change, unfortunately, is lost to history, swallowed by the passage of time. The new San Jacopo in Polverosa, despite its more recent construction, carries centuries of history within its walls. It stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of faith and community that defines Florence.