Lucca
Encyclopedia
Lucca is a city and comune
in Tuscany
, central Italy
, situated on the river Serchio
in a fertile plain
near the Tyrrhenian Sea
. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca
. Among other reasons, it is famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls.
(there are traces of a pre-existing Ligurian settlement) and became a Roman
colony in 180 BC. The rectangular grid of its historical centre preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient forum
. Traces of the amphitheatre
can still be seen in the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro. Lucca was the site of a conference in 56 BC which reaffirmed the supremacy of the Roman First Triumvirate
.
Frediano, an Irish
monk
, was bishop of Lucca in the early 6th century. At one point, Lucca was plundered by Odoacer
, the first Germanic King of Italy. Lucca was an important city and fortress even in the 6th century, when Narses
besieged it for several months in 553. Under the Lombards
, it was the seat of a duke who minted his own coins. The Holy Face of Lucca
(or Volto Santo), a major relic supposedly carved by Nicodemus
, arrived in 742. It became prosperous through the silk
trade that began in the 11th century, and came to rival the silks of Byzantium
. During the 10-11th centuries Lucca was the capital of the feudal margraviate of Tuscany, more or less independent but owing nominal allegiance to the Holy Roman Emperor
.
, the city began to constitute itself an independent commune
, with a charter in 1160. For almost 500 years, Lucca remained an independent republic. There were many minor provinces in the region between southern Liguria
and northern Tuscany dominated by the Malaspina; Tuscany in this time was a part of feudal Europe. Dante
’s Divine Comedy includes many references to the great feudal families who had huge jurisdictions with administrative and judicial rights. Dante
spent some of his exile in Lucca.
In 1273 and again in 1277 Lucca was ruled by a Guelph
capitano del popolo
(captain of the people) named Luchetto Gattilusio
. In 1314, internal discord allowed Uguccione della Faggiuola
of Pisa to make himself lord of Lucca. The Lucchesi expelled him two years later, and handed over the city to another condottiere Castruccio Castracani
, under whose rule it became a leading state in central Italy. Lucca rivalled Florence
until Castracani's death in 1328. On 22 and 23 September 1325, in the battle of Altopascio
, Castracani defeated Florence
's Guelphs. For this he was nominated by Louis IV the Bavarian to become duke of Lucca. Castracani's tomb is in the church of San Francesco. His biography is Machiavelli
's third famous book on political rule.
In 1408, Lucca hosted the convocation
intended to end the schism in the papacy. Occupied by the troops of Louis of Bavaria, the city was sold to a rich Genoese, Gherardino Spinola, then seized by John, king of Bohemia. Pawned to the Rossi of Parma, by them it was ceded to Martino della Scala of Verona
, sold to the Florentines, surrendered to the Pisans, and then nominally liberated by the emperor Charles IV
and governed by his vicar. Lucca managed, at first as a democracy
, and after 1628 as an oligarchy
, to maintain its independence alongside of Venice
and Genoa
, and painted the word Libertas on its banner until the French Revolution in 1789.
Lucca had been the second largest Italian city state (after Venice
) with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries.
In 1805, Lucca was conquered by Napoleon
, who installed his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi
as "Queen of Etruria".
After 1815 it became a Bourbon-Parma duchy
, then part of Tuscany
in 1847 and finally part of the Italian State
.
The walls around the old town remained intact as the city expanded and modernized, unusual for cities in the region. As the walls lost their military importance, they became a pedestrian promenade which encircled the old town, although they were used for a number of years in the 20th century for racing cars. They are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species.
The Academy of Sciences (1584) is the most famous of several academies and libraries.
The Casa di Puccini will re-open to the public on 14 September 2011. At the nearby town of Torre del Lago
, there is a Puccini
opera festival every year in July/August. Puccini had a house there as well.
There are many richly built medieval basilica
-form churches in Lucca with rich arcaded façades and campaniles, a few as old as the 8th century.
s Giacomo Puccini
(La Bohème
and Madama Butterfly
), Nicalao Dorati, Francesco Geminiani
, Gioseffo Guami
, Luigi Boccherini
, and Alfredo Catalani
. It is also the birthplace of Bruno Menconi and artist Benedetto Brandimarte
.
, Placebo
, Massive Attack
, Roger Waters
, Tracy Chapman
and Santana
play live in the Piazza Napoleone.
Lucca hosts the annual Lucca Comics and Games
festival, Italy's largest festival for comics
and related subjects.
's 1958 film Giovani mariti
with Sylva Koscina
is set and was filmed in Lucca.
Lucca was featured on Top Gear during a Hot Hatch
comparison in Episode 2 of Season 17. The city's narrow and one-way street layout played a large role in the segment.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, central Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, situated on the river Serchio
Serchio
At 126 kilometres the Serchio is the third longest river in the Italian region of Tuscany, coming after the Arno and the Ombrone...
in a fertile plain
near the Tyrrhenian Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.-Geography:The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia , Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria and Sicily ....
. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca
Province of Lucca
The Province of Lucca is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lucca.It has an area of 1,773 km², and a total population of 372,244...
. Among other reasons, it is famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls.
Ancient and medieval city
Lucca was founded by the EtruscansEtruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
(there are traces of a pre-existing Ligurian settlement) and became a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
colony in 180 BC. The rectangular grid of its historical centre preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient forum
Forum (Roman)
A forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
. Traces of the amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
can still be seen in the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro. Lucca was the site of a conference in 56 BC which reaffirmed the supremacy of the Roman First Triumvirate
First Triumvirate
The First Triumvirate was the political alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Licinius Crassus, and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. Unlike the Second Triumvirate, the First Triumvirate had no official status whatsoever; its overwhelming power in the Roman Republic was strictly unofficial influence, and...
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, was bishop of Lucca in the early 6th century. At one point, Lucca was plundered by Odoacer
Odoacer
Flavius Odoacer , also known as Flavius Odovacer, was the first King of Italy. His reign is commonly seen as marking the end of the Western Roman Empire. Though the real power in Italy was in his hands, he represented himself as the client of Julius Nepos and, after Nepos' death in 480, of the...
, the first Germanic King of Italy. Lucca was an important city and fortress even in the 6th century, when Narses
Narses
Narses was, with Belisarius, one of the great generals in the service of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I during the "Reconquest" that took place during Justinian's reign....
besieged it for several months in 553. Under the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
, it was the seat of a duke who minted his own coins. The Holy Face of Lucca
Holy Face of Lucca
The Holy Face of Lucca is a venerated wooden corpus of a crucifix, located in the free-standing octagonal Carrara marble chapel , which was built in 1484 by Matteo Civitali, the sculptor-architect of Lucca, to contain it. The tempietto stands in the right-hand nave of the cathedral of San...
(or Volto Santo), a major relic supposedly carved by Nicodemus
Nicodemus
Saint Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, who, according to the Gospel of John, showed favour to Jesus...
, arrived in 742. It became prosperous through the silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
trade that began in the 11th century, and came to rival the silks of Byzantium
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. During the 10-11th centuries Lucca was the capital of the feudal margraviate of Tuscany, more or less independent but owing nominal allegiance to the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
.
First republic
After the death of Matilda of TuscanyMatilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Tuscany was an Italian noblewoman, the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy. She is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments...
, the city began to constitute itself an independent commune
Medieval commune
Medieval communes in the European Middle Ages had sworn allegiances of mutual defense among the citizens of a town or city. They took many forms, and varied widely in organization and makeup. Communes are first recorded in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, thereafter becoming a widespread...
, with a charter in 1160. For almost 500 years, Lucca remained an independent republic. There were many minor provinces in the region between southern Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
and northern Tuscany dominated by the Malaspina; Tuscany in this time was a part of feudal Europe. Dante
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
’s Divine Comedy includes many references to the great feudal families who had huge jurisdictions with administrative and judicial rights. Dante
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
spent some of his exile in Lucca.
In 1273 and again in 1277 Lucca was ruled by a Guelph
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
capitano del popolo
Capitano del popolo
The capitano del popolo was an administrative title used in Italy during the Middle Ages.It was created in the early 13th century when the populares, the increasing wealthy classes of merchants, professionals, craftsmen and, in maritime cities, ship-owners, who were of non-noble origin, were able...
(captain of the people) named Luchetto Gattilusio
Luchetto Gattilusio
Luchetto Gattilusio was a Genoese statesman, diplomat, and man of letters. As a Guelph he played an important role in wider Lombard politics and as a troubadour in the Occitan language he composed three poems descriptive of his times.-Poetry:...
. In 1314, internal discord allowed Uguccione della Faggiuola
Uguccione della Faggiuola
Uguccione della Faggiuola was an Italian condottiero, and chief magistrate of Pisa, Lucca and Forlì .-Biography:...
of Pisa to make himself lord of Lucca. The Lucchesi expelled him two years later, and handed over the city to another condottiere Castruccio Castracani
Castruccio Castracani
Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli was an Italian condottiero and duke of Lucca.-Biography:Castruccio was born in Lucca, a member of the noble family of Antelminelli, of the Ghibelline party. In 1300 he was exiled with his parents and others of their faction by the Guelphs "Black" party,...
, under whose rule it became a leading state in central Italy. Lucca rivalled Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
until Castracani's death in 1328. On 22 and 23 September 1325, in the battle of Altopascio
Battle of Altopascio
The Battle of Altopascio was a battle fought in 1325 in Tuscany, between the Ghibelline forces of Castruccio Castracani and those of Guelph Florence.-Background:...
, Castracani defeated Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
's Guelphs. For this he was nominated by Louis IV the Bavarian to become duke of Lucca. Castracani's tomb is in the church of San Francesco. His biography is Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
's third famous book on political rule.
In 1408, Lucca hosted the convocation
Convocation
A Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.- University use :....
intended to end the schism in the papacy. Occupied by the troops of Louis of Bavaria, the city was sold to a rich Genoese, Gherardino Spinola, then seized by John, king of Bohemia. Pawned to the Rossi of Parma, by them it was ceded to Martino della Scala of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, sold to the Florentines, surrendered to the Pisans, and then nominally liberated by the emperor Charles IV
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
and governed by his vicar. Lucca managed, at first as a democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, and after 1628 as an oligarchy
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
, to maintain its independence alongside of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, and painted the word Libertas on its banner until the French Revolution in 1789.
Napoleonic conquest
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
) with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries.
In 1805, Lucca was conquered by Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, who installed his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi
Elisa Bonaparte
Maria Anna Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi Levoy, Princesse Française, Duchess of Lucca and Princess of Piombino, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Countess of Compignano was the fourth surviving child and eldest surviving daughter of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino, making her the younger sister of...
as "Queen of Etruria".
After 1815 it became a Bourbon-Parma duchy
Duchy of Lucca
The Duchy of Lucca was an Italian state existing from 1815 to 1847. It was centered on the city of Lucca.The Duchy was formed in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, out of the former Republic of Lucca and the Principality of Lucca and Piombino, which had been ruled by Elisa Bonaparte...
, then part of Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
in 1847 and finally part of the Italian State
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Frazioni
The municipal territory of Lucca includes eighty-one “Frazioni”:- Antraccoli
- Aquilea
- Arancio
- Arliano
- Arsina
- Balbano
- Capannori
- Cappella
- Carignano
- Castagnori
- Castiglioncello
- Cerasomma
- Chiatri
- Ciciana
- Deccio di Brancoli
- Fagnano
- Farneta
- Gattaiola
- Gignano di Brancoli
- Maggiano
- Massa Pisana
- Mastiano
- Meati
- Monte San Quirico
- Montuolo
- Mutigliano
- Mugnano
- Nave
- Nozzano
- Nozzano San Pietro
- Nozzano Vecchia
- Ombreglio di Brancoli
- Palmata
- Piaggione
- Piazza di Brancoli
- Piazzano
- Picciorana
- Pieve di Brancoli
- Pieve Santo Stefano
- Ponte a Moriano
- Ponte del Giglio
- Ponte San Pietro
- Pontetetto
- Saltocchio
- San Cassiano a Vico
- San Cassano di Moriano
- San Concordio di Moriano
- San Donato
- San Filippo
- San Gimignano
- San Giusto di Brancoli
- San Lorenzo a Vaccoli
- San Lorenzo di Moriano
- San Macario in monte
- San Macario in piano
- San Michele di Moriano
- San Michele in Escheto
- San Pancazio
- San Pietro a Vico
- San Quirico in Moriano
- San Vito
- Sant'Alessio
- Sant'Angelo in Campo
- Sant'Ilario di Brancoli
- Santa Maria a Colle
- Santa Maria del Giudice
- Santissima Annunziata
- Santo Stefano di Moriano
- Sesto di Moriano
- Sorbano del Giudice
- Sorbano del Vescovo
- Stabbiano
- Tempagnano di Lunata
- Torre alla Maddalena
- Torre Alta
- Tramonte
- Tramonte di Brancoli
- Vallebuia
- Vecoli
- Vicopelago
- Vinchiana
Main sights
The Academy of Sciences (1584) is the most famous of several academies and libraries.
The Casa di Puccini will re-open to the public on 14 September 2011. At the nearby town of Torre del Lago
Torre del Lago
Torre del Lago is a town of almost 11,000 inhabitants, a frazione of the comune of Viareggio, in the province of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy, between the Lake of Massaciuccoli and the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, there is a Puccini
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
opera festival every year in July/August. Puccini had a house there as well.
There are many richly built medieval basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
-form churches in Lucca with rich arcaded façades and campaniles, a few as old as the 8th century.
- Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
- Piazzale Verdi
- Piazza Napoleone
- Piazza San Michele
- Duomo di San MartinoDuomo di San MartinoThe Cathedral of St Martin is a church in Lucca, Italy. It was begun in 1063 by Bishop Anselm .-Description:Of the original structure, the great apse with its tall columnar arcades and the fine campanile remain...
(St Martin's CathedralCathedralA cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
) - The Ducal Palace, built on the location of Castruccio Castracani's fortress. The original project was begun by Bartolomeo Ammannati in 1577–1582, and continued by Filippo JuvarraFilippo JuvarraFilippo Juvarra was an Italian architect and stage set designer.-Biography:Filippo Juvarra was an Italian Baroque architect working in the early part of the eighteenth century. He was born in Messina, Sicily, to a family of goldsmiths and engravers...
in the 18th century. - The ancient Roman amphitheatreAmphitheatreAn amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
- Church of San Michele in ForoSan Michele in ForoSan Michele in Foro is a Roman Catholic basilica church in Lucca, Tuscany, central Italy, built over the ancient Roman forum. Until 1370 it was the seat of the Consiglio Maggiore , the commune's most important assembly. It is dedicated to Archangel Michael.-History:The church is mentioned for the...
- Romanesque church of San Giusto.
- Basilica di San FredianoBasilica di San FredianoThe Basilica of San Frediano is a Romanesque church in Lucca, Italy, situated on the Piazza San Frediano.Fridianus was an Irish bishop of Lucca in the first half of the 6th century. He had a church built on this spot, dedicated to St. Vincent, a martyr from Zaragoza, Spain. When Fridianus was...
- Torre delle ore ("The Clock Tower")
- Casa and Torre Guinigi - The Guinigi TowerGuinigi TowerThe Torre Guinigi is the most important tower of Lucca, Tuscany, central Italy.Hanging garden on the roof of the Torre Guinigi.|left|thumbThis tower is one of the few remaining within the city walls. Its main characteristic is its hanging garden on the roof of the tower.The tower has been donated...
with oak trees on top - Museo Nazionale Guinigi
- Museo e Pinacoteca Nazionale
- Orto Botanico Comunale di LuccaOrto Botanico Comunale di LuccaThe Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca is a botanical garden located at Via del Giardino Botanico, 14, Lucca, Italy, and operated by the city. It is open daily during the warmer months, and weekday mornings off-season. An admission fee is charged....
, a botanical gardenBotanical gardenA botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
dating from 1820 - Palazzo PfannerPalazzo PfannerPalazzo Pfanner is a palace and a garden in Lucca, Italy, now converted into a museum of art and artifacts. The building dates to 1667, and is notable mainly for its fine garden, attributed to Filippo Juvarra, and an interesting external stairway with loggia....
- Villa GarzoniVilla GarzoniVilla Garzoni at Collodi is a villa just over the border of the province of Lucca, . The garden was built shortly before 1652 by the Garzoni family, relating to the site of the old castle, which stands slightly apart, closely associated with the village that nestles round it, on the edge of a...
, noted for its water gardens. - Church of San Giorgio in the locality of Brancoli, built in the late 12th century. It has a nave and two aisles with a single apse, and a bell tower in Lombard-Romanesque style ranked amongst the most beautiful in northern Italy. The interior houses a massive amboPulpitPulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
(1194) with four columns mounted on notable sculptures of lions. Also having notable medieval decoration is the octagonal baptismal fount. The altar is supported by six small columns with human figures - Church of San Michele, at Antraccoli. Founded in 777, it was enlarged in the 12th century and modified again in the 16th century with the introduction of a portico.
- Passeggiata delle Mura Urbane, a street all over the city on the bastions. It passes from these balconies: Santa Croce, San Frediano, San Martino, San Pietro/Battisti, San Salvatore, La Libertà/Cairoli, San Regolo, San Colombano, Santa Maria, San Paolino/Catalani, and San Donato; also pass over these gates: Porta San Donato, Porta Santa Maria, Porta San Jocopo, Porta Elisa, Porta San Pietro, and Porta Sant'Anna.
- Church of Santa GiuliaSanta Giulia, LuccaSanta Giulia is church in Lucca, Italy.-History:The church is documented since as early as the 10th century, but it is more ancient, as testified by the Lombard tombs in the interior...
, of LombardLombard architectureThe term Lombard achitecture refers to the architecture of the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy, which lasted from 568 to 774 and which was commissioned by Lombard king and dukes....
origins, but remade in the 13th century. - The fortified city is surrounded by the streets of: Piazzale Boccherini, Viale Lazzaro Papi, Viale Carlo Del Prete, Piazzale Martiri della Libertà, Via Batoni, Viale Agostino Marti, Viale G. Marconi (vide Guglielmo MarconiGuglielmo MarconiGuglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor, known as the father of long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and indeed he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand...
), Piazza Don A. Mei, Viale Pacini (vide PaciniPaciniPacini may refer to the following persons:* Filippo Pacini, an Italian anatomist* Roberto Pacini, an Italian director, author and theatre and film producer* Alfredo Pacini, an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church...
), Viale Giusti, Piazza Curtatone, Piazzale Ricasoli, Viale Ricasoli, Piazza Risorgimento (vide Risorgimento) and Viale Giosuè Carducci (vide Giosuè CarducciGiosuè CarducciGiosuè Alessandro Michele Carducci was an Italian poet and teacher. He was very influential and was regarded as the official national poet of modern Italy. In 1906 he became the first Italian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.-Biography:...
).
Culture
Lucca is the birthplace of composerComposer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
s Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
(La Bohème
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
and Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
), Nicalao Dorati, Francesco Geminiani
Francesco Geminiani
thumb|230px|Francesco Geminiani.Francesco Saverio Geminiani was an Italian violinist, composer, and music theorist.-Biography:...
, Gioseffo Guami
Gioseffo Guami
Gioseffo Guami was an Italian composer, organist, violinist and singer of the late Renaissance Venetian School...
, Luigi Boccherini
Luigi Boccherini
Luigi Rodolfo Boccherini was an Italian classical era composer and cellist whose music retained a courtly and galante style while he matured somewhat apart from the major European musical centers. Boccherini is most widely known for one particular minuet from his String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No...
, and Alfredo Catalani
Alfredo Catalani
Alfredo Catalani was an Italian operatic composer. He is best remembered for his operas Loreley and La Wally...
. It is also the birthplace of Bruno Menconi and artist Benedetto Brandimarte
Benedetto Brandimarte
Benedetto Brandimarte was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance period. He was born in Lucca. In 1592, he painted for the church of San Benedetto in Genoa . He is also known as Brandimarti.-References:...
.
Museums
- National Museum of Villa Guinigi
- Museum of Villa Mansi
- Museo della Cattedrale
- Lu.C.C.A. Lucca Center of Contemporary Art
- Orto Botanico Comunale di LuccaOrto Botanico Comunale di LuccaThe Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca is a botanical garden located at Via del Giardino Botanico, 14, Lucca, Italy, and operated by the city. It is open daily during the warmer months, and weekday mornings off-season. An admission fee is charged....
Festivals
Lucca annually hosts the Lucca Summer Festival. The 2006 edition saw Eric ClaptonEric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Placebo
Placebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
, Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
, Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland,...
and Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
play live in the Piazza Napoleone.
Lucca hosts the annual Lucca Comics and Games
Lucca Comics and Games
Lucca Comics and Games is an annual comic book and gaming convention in Lucca, Italy. It takes place, usually, at the end of October.Launched in 1966, the event grew in importance years after years; but it's only in 2006, for the 40th anniversary, that fair has been moved to the city center: from...
festival, Italy's largest festival for comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
and related subjects.
Film and television
Mauro BologniniMauro Bolognini
Mauro Bolognini was an Italian film director of literate sensibility, known for masterful handling of period subject matter.-Biography:Mauro Bolognini was born in Pistoia, Tuscany....
's 1958 film Giovani mariti
Young Husbands
Young Husbands is a 1958 Italian comedy film directed by Mauro Bolognini. It was entered into the 1958 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Anne-Marie Baumann - Fanny* Gérard Blain - Marcello* Guido Celano - Franco's father* Roberto Chevalier - Checchino...
with Sylva Koscina
Sylva Koscina
Sylva Koscina was an Italian actress.-Biography:...
is set and was filmed in Lucca.
Lucca was featured on Top Gear during a Hot Hatch
Hot hatch
Hot hatch was originally an informal automotive industry term, shortened from hot hatchback, initially coined by the British motoring press in 1984, for a high-performance derivative of a car body style consisting of a three- or five-door hatchback automobile.Vehicles of this class are based on...
comparison in Episode 2 of Season 17. The city's narrow and one-way street layout played a large role in the segment.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Lucca is twinned with:| Abingdon Abingdon, Oxfordshire Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with... , United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... Colmar Colmar Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court.... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... Gogolin Gogolin Gogolin is a town in Poland, in Opole Voivodeship, in Krapkowice County. It has 6,116 inhabitants .-External links:*... , Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... Schongau Schongau, Bavaria Schongau is a small town in Bavaria, near the Alps. It is located along the Lech, between Landsberg am Lech and Füssen. It has about 12,000 inhabitants... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Sint-Niklaas Sint-Niklaas Sint-Niklaas is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Sint-Niklaas proper and the towns of Belsele, Nieuwkerken-Waas, and Sinaai.... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent... , Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... Lucca Sicula Lucca Sicula Lucca Sicula is a comune in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km south of Palermo and about 40 km northwest of Agrigento.... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... Panther's Contrade, Siena Siena Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008... |
Notable natives and residents
- St. Anselm of LuccaAnselm of LuccaSaint Anselm of Lucca , called the Younger or Anselm II to distinguish him from his uncle, was an Italian bishop, a prominent figure in the Investiture Controversy and in the fighting in Central Italy between the forces of Countess Matilda of Tuscany, the papal champion, and those of Henry IV,...
, (1036–1086), bishop of Lucca - Giovanni ArnolfiniGiovanni ArnolfiniGiovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini was a merchant from Lucca, a city in Tuscany, Italy.Giovanni, called here di Nicolao or son of Nicolao to distinguish him from his cousin Giovanni di Arrigo Arnolfini , moved to Bruges in Flanders at an early age to work in the family business and lived there for the...
, merchant and arts patron - Saint ZitaZitaSaint Zita was an Italian saint, the patron saint of maids and domestic servants. She is also appealed to in order to help find lost keys.-Life:...
- Zita of Bourbon-ParmaZita of Bourbon-ParmaPrincess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria...
, last Empress of AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... - Pompeo BatoniPompeo BatoniPompeo Girolamo Batoni was an Italian painter whose style incorporated elements of the French Rococo, Bolognese classicism, and nascent Neoclassicism.-Biography:He was born in Lucca, the son of a goldsmith, Paolino Batoni...
, painter - Luigi BoccheriniLuigi BoccheriniLuigi Rodolfo Boccherini was an Italian classical era composer and cellist whose music retained a courtly and galante style while he matured somewhat apart from the major European musical centers. Boccherini is most widely known for one particular minuet from his String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No...
, musician and composer - Elisa BonaparteElisa BonaparteMaria Anna Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi Levoy, Princesse Française, Duchess of Lucca and Princess of Piombino, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Countess of Compignano was the fourth surviving child and eldest surviving daughter of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino, making her the younger sister of...
, ruler of Lucca - Castruccio CastracaniCastruccio CastracaniCastruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli was an Italian condottiero and duke of Lucca.-Biography:Castruccio was born in Lucca, a member of the noble family of Antelminelli, of the Ghibelline party. In 1300 he was exiled with his parents and others of their faction by the Guelphs "Black" party,...
, ruler of Lucca (1316–1328) - Alfredo CatalaniAlfredo CatalaniAlfredo Catalani was an Italian operatic composer. He is best remembered for his operas Loreley and La Wally...
, composer - Gusmano CesarettiGusmano CesarettiGusmano Cesaretti is an Italian self-taught photographer and artist from Lucca, Italy. He has also worked in films as a producer and visual consultant...
, photographer and artist - Mario CipolliniMario CipolliniMario Cipollini , often abbreviated to "Cipo", is a retired Italian professional road cyclist most noted for his sprinting ability, the longevity of his dominance and his colourful personality. His nicknames include Il Re Leone and Super Mario...
, athlete - Matteo CivitaliMatteo CivitaliMatteo Civitali was an Italian sculptor and architect, painter and engineer from Lucca. He was a leading artistic personality of the Early Renaissance in Lucca, where he was born and where most of his work remains. He was trained in Florence, where Antonio Rossellino and Mino da Fiesole influenced...
, sculptor - Ivan Della MeaIvan Della MeaIvan Della Mea was an Italian novelist, journalist, singer-songwriter and political activist.-Biography:...
, singer-songwriter - Theodor DöhlerTheodor DöhlerTheodor Döhler was a German composer and a notable piano virtuoso of the Romantic period. He studied under Julius Benedict, Carl Czerny, and Simon Sechter. -Childhood and education:...
, composer and pianist; lived in Lucca from 1827–1829 - Amerigo Fabbri, Pierson College Dean, Yale University
- Saint Frediano
- Gemma GalganiGemma GalganiMaria Gemma Umberta Pia Galgani was an Italian mystic, venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church since 1940...
, mystic and saint - Francesco GeminianiFrancesco Geminianithumb|230px|Francesco Geminiani.Francesco Saverio Geminiani was an Italian violinist, composer, and music theorist.-Biography:...
, musician and composer - Gioseffo GuamiGioseffo GuamiGioseffo Guami was an Italian composer, organist, violinist and singer of the late Renaissance Venetian School...
, composer - Pope Lucius IIIPope Lucius IIIPope Lucius III , born Ubaldo, was pope from 1 September 1181 to his death.A native of the independent republic of Lucca, he was born ca. 1100 as Ubaldo, son of Orlando. He is commonly referred to as a member of the aristocratic family of Allucingoli, but this is not proven...
- Vincenzo LunardiVincenzo LunardiVicenzo Lunardi was born in Lucca, Italy. His family were of minor Neapolitan nobility, and his father had married late in life. Vicenzo was one of three children...
, pioneer aeronaut - Felice MatteucciFelice MatteucciFelice Matteucci was an Italian hydraulic engineer who co-invented an internal combustion engine with Eugenio Barsanti. It is not known whether they were the first to do so, as the patent in question was lost....
, engineer - Leo NomelliniLeo NomelliniLeo Joseph Nomellini was a Hall of Fame American football player with the San Francisco 49ers. He was born at Lucca in Italy. He was a two-time All-American at the University of Minnesota and the 49ers' first-ever NFL draft choice in 1950.Nomellini played every 49ers game for 14 seasons, 174...
, athlete - Marcello PeraMarcello PeraMarcello Pera is an Italian philosopher and politician. He was the President of the Italian Senate from 2001 to 2006.-Career:...
, politician and philosopher - Giacomo PucciniGiacomo PucciniGiacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
, composer - Marco RossiMarco Rossi (born 1978)Marco Rossi is an Italian footballer who plays for Genoa C.F.C. mainly as a right midfielder.-Early years:...
, athlete - Renato SalvatoriRenato SalvatoriRenato Salvatori was an Italian multi-purpose character actor.-Biography:Salvatori was born in Seravezza, Province of Lucca....
, actor - Rolando UgoliniRolando UgoliniRolando Ugolini is a former footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for a number of British clubs.Ugolini moved to Scotland at the age of three and grew up in Armadale, where he played for the local club, Armadale Thistle. He began his senior career with Celtic, before spending nine years with...
, athlete - Giuseppe UngarettiGiuseppe UngarettiGiuseppe Ungaretti was an Italian modernist poet, journalist, essayist, critic and academic. A leading representative of the experimental trend known as Ermetismo , he was one of the most prominent contributors to 20th century Italian literature. Influenced by symbolism, he was briefly aligned...
, poet - Antonio VallisneriAntonio VallisneriAntonio Vallisneri was an Italian medical scientist, physician and naturalist.-Life:Vallisneri was born in Trassilico, a small village in Garfagnana, and graduated in medicine in 1684, in Reggio Emilia, under the guidance of Marcello Malpighi.He studied at Bologna, Venice, Padua and Parma and held...
, scientist and physician
Tourism
Tourism is a source of income. The following events are attended by a number of people from outside the area:- Lucca Comics and GamesLucca Comics and GamesLucca Comics and Games is an annual comic book and gaming convention in Lucca, Italy. It takes place, usually, at the end of October.Launched in 1966, the event grew in importance years after years; but it's only in 2006, for the 40th anniversary, that fair has been moved to the city center: from...
, the most important exposition of comics and games in Italy, the second in Europe and the third in the world. It takes place at the end of October. - Viareggio's Carnival
- Lucca Summer Festival, an international music meeting.
- Lucca Film Festival
- Lucca Digital Photo Fest
- Procession of Santa Croce, on 13 of September. Costume procession through the town's roads.
- Lucca Jazz Donna