While its foundation dates back to the 8th century, the church owes its current appearance to the work carried out between the 12th and 13th centuries. Inside, the church features a magnificent pulpit and two painted wooden crucifixes, which are attributed to the work of Giovanni Pisano (1298-1301). The façade is likely the work of Gruamonte and Adeodato, as is the architrave dating back to 1166, which boasts a depiction of the biblical Three Kings, the first pilgrims in Christian history.

From Porta Sant’Andrea, after having visited the monuments to Saint James in the Pistoia area, pilgrims would head north towards the Appennine crossings, travelling along the Via Francesca della Sambuca. Even to the South, Pistoia was connected to the most important European roadway of the Middle Ages, the Via Francigena, which crossed over the Arno in Fucecchio on the way to Rome, and was part of the way of Saint James pilgrimage routes.