From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lucca
Lucca
Lucca Frazioni see list
— Comune — Government
• Mayor Mauro Favilla (The People of Freedom)
Comune di Lucca
Area
• Total 185.5 km2 (71.6 sq mi)
Elevation 19 m (62 ft)
Population (30 April 2009)
• Total 84,323
• Density 454.6/km2 (1,177.3/sq mi)
Demonym Lucchese (plural, Lucchesi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
DST)
• Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 55100
Panorama of Lucca from the Torre Guinigi Dialing code 0583
Patron saint St. Paulinus
Saint day July 12
Website Official website
Lucca listen is a city and comune in Tuscany, the north-
west of Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile
plain near the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the
Coat of arms
Province of Lucca. Among other reasons, it is famous for
its intact Renaissance-era city walls.
History
Ancient and medieval city
Lucca was founded by the Etruscans (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 Piaz-
za 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.[citation needed]
Frediano, an Irish monk, was bishop of Lucca in the
early 6th century.[1] 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,
Lucca when Narses besieged it for several months in 553. Under
Location of Lucca in Italy
the Lombards, it was the seat of a duke who minted his
Coordinates: 43°51′N 10°30′E / 43.85°N 10.5°E / 43.85; 10.5
own coins. The Holy Face of Lucca (or Volto Santo), a ma-
Country Italy jor relic supposedly carved by Nicodemus, arrived in 742.
Region Tuscany It became prosperous through the silk trade that began
Province Lucca (LU) in the 11th century, and came to rival the silks of Byzan-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lucca
alongside of Venice and Genoa, and painted the word Lib-
ertas on its banner until the French Revolution in 1789.[2]
Napoleonic conquest
Piazza Anfiteatro and the Basilica di San Frediano.
tium. During the 10-11th centuries Lucca was the capital
of the feudal margraviate of Tuscany, more or less inde-
pendent but owing nominal allegiance to the Holy Roman
Emperor. Palazzo Pfanner, garden view.
First republic Lucca had been the second largest Italian city state (after
Venice) with a republican constitution ("comune") to re-
Main article: Republic of Lucca
main independent over the centuries.
After the death of Matilda of Tuscany, the city began to
In 1805, Lucca was conquered by Napoleon, who in-
constitute itself an independent commune, with a char-
stalled his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi as "Queen of
ter in 1160. For almost 500 years, Lucca remained an in-
Etruria".
dependent republic. There were many minor provinces
After 1815 it became a Bourbon-Parma duchy, then
in the region between southern Liguria and northern
part of Tuscany in 1847 and finally part of the Italian
Tuscany dominated by the Malaspina; Tuscany in this
State.
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 judi- Frazioni
cial rights. Dante spent some of his exile in Lucca.
The municipal territory of Lucca includes eighty-one
In 1273 and again in 1277 Lucca was ruled by a Guelph
“Frazioni”:
capitano del popolo (captain of the people) named Luchetto
• Antraccoli • Maggiano • Ponte a • San Vito
Gattilusio. In 1314, internal discord allowed Uguccione
• Aquilea • Massa Moriano • Sant’Alessio
della Faggiuola of Pisa to make himself lord of Lucca.
• Arancio Pisana • Ponte del • Sant’Angelo
The Lucchesi expelled him two years later, and handed
• Arliano • Mastiano Giglio in Campo
over the city to another condottiere Castruccio Castracani,
• Arsina • Meati • Ponte San • Sant’Ilario di
under whose rule it became a leading state in central
• Balbano • Monte San Pietro Brancoli
Italy. Lucca rivalled Florence until Castracani’s death in
• Capannori Quirico • Pontetetto • Santa Maria
1328. On 22 and 23 September 1325, in the battle of Al-
• Cappella • Montuolo • Saltocchio a Colle
topascio, Castracani defeated Florence’s Guelphs. For this
• Carignano • Mutigliano • San • Santa Maria
he was nominated by Louis IV the Bavarian to become
• Castagnori • Mugnano Cassiano a del Giudice
duke of Lucca. Castracani’s tomb is in the church of San
• Castiglioncello • Nave Vico • Santissima
Francesco. His biography is Machiavelli’s third famous
• Cerasomma • Nozzano • San Annunziata
book on political rule. In 1408, Lucca hosted the convo-
• Chiatri • Nozzano Cassano di • Santo
cation intended to end the schism in the papacy. Occu-
• Ciciana San Pietro Moriano Stefano di
pied by the troops of Louis of Bavaria, the city was sold to
• Deccio di • Nozzano • San Moriano
a rich Genoese, Gherardino Spinola, then seized by John,
Brancoli Vecchia Concordio • Sesto di
king of Bohemia. Pawned to the Rossi of Parma, by them
• Fagnano • Ombreglio di Moriano
it was ceded to Martino della Scala of Verona, sold to the
• Farneta di Brancoli Moriano • Sorbano del
Florentines, surrendered to the Pisans, and then nomi-
• Gattaiola • Palmata • San Giudice
nally liberated by the emperor Charles IV and governed
• Gignano di • Piaggione Donato • Sorbano del
by his vicar. Lucca managed, at first as a democracy, and
Brancoli • Piazza di • San Vescovo
after 1628 as an oligarchy, to maintain its independence
Brancoli Filippo • Stabbiano
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lucca
• Piazzano • San • Tempagnano
• Picciorana Gimignano di Lunata
• Pieve di • San Giusto • Torre alla
Brancoli di Brancoli Maddalena
• Pieve • San • Torre Alta
Santo Lorenzo a • Tramonte
Stefano Vaccoli • Tramonte di
• San Brancoli
Lorenzo di • Vallebuia
Moriano • Vecoli
• San • Vicopelago
Macario in • Vinchiana
monte
• San
Macario in
piano
• San
Michele di
Moriano
• San
Michele in
Escheto
• San
Pancazio
Duomo di San Martino (the Cathedral).
• San Pietro
a Vico
The walls around the old town remained intact as the
• San
city expanded and modernized, unusual for cities in the
Quirico in
region. As the walls lost their military importance, they
Moriano
became a pedestrian promenade which encircled the old
town, although they were used for a number of years in
Main sights the 20th century for racing cars. They are still fully intact
today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a dif-
ferent 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.[3] At the nearby town of Torre del Lago,
there is a Puccini opera festival every year in July/Au-
gust. Puccini had a house there as well.
Autumn in Lucca.
The Passeggiata delle Mura.
A close up of the front façade of the San Michele in Foro.
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lucca
beautiful in northern Italy. The interior houses a
massive ambo (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 Giulia, of Lombard origins, but
remade in the 13th century.
• The fortified city is surrounded by the streets of:
Piazzale Boccherini, Viale Lazzaro Papi, Viale Carlo
Church of San Michele of Antraccoli.
Del Prete, Piazzale Martiri della Libertà, Via Batoni,
Viale Agostino Marti, Viale G. Marconi (vide
There are many richly built medieval basilica-form Guglielmo Marconi), Piazza Don A. Mei, Viale Pacini
churches in Lucca with rich arcaded façades and cam- (vide Pacini), Viale Giusti, Piazza Curtatone, Piazzale
paniles, a few as old as the 8th century. Ricasoli, Viale Ricasoli, Piazza Risorgimento (vide
• Piazza dell’Anfiteatro Risorgimento) and Viale Giosuè Carducci (vide Giosuè
• Piazzale Verdi Carducci).
• Piazza Napoleone
• Piazza San Michele
• Duomo di San Martino (St Martin’s Cathedral) Culture
• The Ducal Palace, built on the location of Castruccio Lucca is the birthplace of composers Giacomo Puccini (La
Castracani’s fortress. The original project was begun Bohème and Madama Butterfly), Nicalao Dorati, Francesco
by Bartolomeo Ammannati in 1577–1582, and Geminiani, Gioseffo Guami, Luigi Boccherini, and Alfredo
continued by Filippo Juvarra in the 18th century. Catalani. It is also the birthplace of Bruno Menconi and
• The ancient Roman amphitheatre artist Benedetto Brandimarte.
• Church of San Michele in Foro
• Romanesque church of San Giusto.
• Basilica di San Frediano
• Church of Sant’Alessandro,[4] an example of Lucca, Piazza Anfiteatro
medieval classicism
• Torre delle ore ("The Clock Tower") Museums
• Casa and Torre Guinigi - The Guinigi Tower with oak
• National Museum of Villa Guinigi
trees on top
• Museum of Villa Mansi
• Museo Nazionale Guinigi
• Museo della Cattedrale
• Museo e Pinacoteca Nazionale
• Lu.C.C.A. Lucca Center of Contemporary Art
• Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca, a botanical garden
• Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca
dating from 1820
• Palazzo Pfanner
• Villa Garzoni, noted for its water gardens.
Festivals
• Church of San Giorgio in the locality of Brancoli, built Lucca annually hosts the Lucca Summer Festival. The
in the late 12th century. It has a nave and two aisles 2006 edition saw Eric Clapton, Placebo, Massive Attack,
with a single apse, and a bell tower in Lombard- Roger Waters, Tracy Chapman and Santana play live in
Romanesque style ranked amongst the most the Piazza Napoleone.
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lucca
• Abingdon, United Kingdom • Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
• Colmar, France • Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Gogolin, Poland • Lucca Sicula, Italy
• Schongau, Germany • Panther’s Contrade, Siena
Lucca hosts the annual Lucca Comics and Games festi-
val, Italy’s largest festival for comics and related subjects.
Film and television
Mauro Bolognini’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 seg-
ment.
International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy
Twin towns — Sister cities
Lucca is twinned with:
Notable natives and residents
Vincenzo Lunardi
• Zita of Bourbon-Parma, last Empress of Austria
• Pompeo Batoni, painter
• Luigi Boccherini, musician and composer
• Elisa Bonaparte, ruler of Lucca
• Castruccio Castracani, ruler of Lucca (1316–1328)
• Alfredo Catalani, composer
• Gusmano Cesaretti, photographer and artist
• Mario Cipollini, athlete
• Matteo Civitali, sculptor
• Ivan Della Mea, singer-songwriter
• Theodor Döhler, composer and pianist; lived in Lucca
from 1827–1829
• Amerigo Fabbri, Pierson College Dean, Yale
University
• Saint Frediano
• Gemma Galgani, mystic and saint
• Francesco Geminiani, musician and composer
• Gioseffo Guami, composer
• Pope Lucius III
• Vincenzo Lunardi, pioneer aeronaut [5]
Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife by Jan van Eyck.
• Felice Matteucci, engineer
• Leo Nomellini, athlete
• St. Anselm of Lucca, (1036–1086), bishop of Lucca
• Marcello Pera, politician and philosopher
• Giovanni Arnolfini, merchant and arts patron
• Giacomo Puccini, composer
• Saint Zita
5
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lucca
•
•
Marco Rossi, athlete
Renato Salvatori, actor
See also
• Rolando Ugolini, athlete • Castruccio Castracani
• Giuseppe Ungaretti, poet • Duchy of Lucca
• Antonio Vallisneri, scientist and physician
Footnotes
Economy [1] See article on the Basilica di San Frediano.
[2] Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911)
Tourism [3] "Puccini Museum - Casa natale".
Tourism is a source of income. The following events are http://www.fondazionegiacomopuccini.it/
attended by a number of people from outside the area: page.php?page=31&langId=1. Retrieved
• Lucca Comics and Games, the most important[citation 2011-06-29.
needed] exposition of comics and games in Italy, the [4] [1]
second in Europe[citation needed] and the third in the [5] The Quarterly review, Volume 139 Google Books
world.[citation needed] It takes place at the end of [6] Viareggio’s Carnival
October. [7] Lucca Summer Festival
• Viareggio’s Carnival[6] [8] Lucca Film Festival
• Lucca Summer Festival, an international music [9] Lucca Digital Photo Fest
meeting.[7] [10] Lucca Jazz Donna
• Lucca Film Festival[8]
• Lucca Digital Photo Fest[9]
• Procession of Santa Croce, on 13 of September.
External links
Costume procession through the town’s roads.[citation • Municipality website
needed]
• Lucca Jazz Donna[10]
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lucca&oldid=465580871"
Categories:
• Cities and towns in Tuscany
• Communes of the Province of Lucca
• Lucca
• Roman sites of Tuscany
• Imperial free cities
• Walled towns
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