Documented since 1080, the suburban 'Chiesa di San Vitale' (Church of Saint Vitale) was built outside the first line of fortified city walls, along the via consolare Cassia. In medieval times the cult of Saint Vitale, miles consularis, arrived in Pistoia, probably coming from Ravenna, a town where the Saint was particularly adored, and where a great cathedral had been named after him in 547. In the cathedral, which still exists, Saint Vitale's family was also venerated: his wife Saint Valeria, his sons Saint Gervasio and Saint Protasio, and his friend Saint Ursicino. In the 13th century andwith the expansion of Pistoia, the church of San Vitale was included into the second line of city walls close to 'porta lucensis' (lucensis gate). In 1334 the church become a priory and by the end of the 14th century, the building which had been made with 'live stone' (meaning it was adorned with marble stucco surface decoration), was upgraded with a cloister where, according to legend, Saint Francesco of Assisi had stayed with his monks.
In 1610 the city council, with the authorisation of the Grand Duke, decided to destroy the whole building, so as to enlarge and straighten 'Via Provinciale Lucchese' which is now 'Via della Madonna'. They decided to insert a smaller church on the new road which would be a building with two entrances and a single hall. In the middle of the 18th century, Prior Domenico Tognelli decided to completely restore the building again, and he hired the builders Carlo and Clemente Vannetti, who started work in March 1749. First the parsonage was renovated, and subsequently the church was set "in perfect square and good order", giving new regularity to the layout of the room and consolidating the external wall to sustain the new barrel vault. The work was finished in January 1757 and a small memorial tablet was placed over the entrance door.