Lucca Italy. Lucca: one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. Theaters and Villas
When discussing the cities of Italy that you are going to visit, do not forget about the ancient city of towers and churches - Lucca, the birthplace of Puccini and the former possessions of Napoleon Bonaparte's sister.
The historic city center, surrounded by colossal walls, includes a huge number of medieval and Renaissance palaces and many Romanesque churches. Long before other European cities realized the harmfulness of exhaust fumes for cultural monuments, Luccans banned cars from entering the city walls.
Therefore, walking along the quiet old streets of Lucca, do not be surprised at the large number of cyclists. You can rent a bike yourself at the tour desk in Verdi Square. It will help you save time, which as always will be disastrously small, on the way from one attraction to another, because in Lucca there really is something to see.
The list of the main attractions of the amazing city of Lucca includes:
You should start your journey around the city with one of the most ancient buildings in Italy, a fortress built in the sixteenth century. The walls of the fortress separate the entire historical part of the city.
It is noteworthy that the walls are so thick that a 4 km long road has been laid along them, which has long turned into a cozy, shady boulevard. On the walls are 11 bastions and six gates. Ironically, after the construction of the walls no one attacked Lucca, so the walls were preserved in almost perfect condition. Only two gates were well preserved from the fortress itself: the gates of Borgi and San Gervasio.
A closer look at them reveals many turrets and frescoes depicting saints. Tourists should also pay attention to the gates of San Donato, decorated with magnificent statues of marble lions. On the wall of the San Donato bastion you will see a plaque erected in 1981 in honor of Castruccio Castraccani, who at the beginning of the fourteenth century liberated Lucca from the rule of Pisa and conquered many neighboring cities.
In Italy, many Roman amphitheaters have survived, but Luccan is the most unusual. The amphitheater itself has long been destroyed, but its shape has been perfectly preserved - thanks to houses built along its outer wall. Now these houses form an ellipse. The four entrances to the square are located exactly where the gates of the amphitheater were once located.
Location: Piazza dell’Anfiteatro.
The house where Giacomo Puccini was born has long been turned into the temple of one of Italy's most popular opera composers. In addition to the connection with the name Puccini, this house is of interest as a typical example of the construction of the fifteenth century.
The museum exhibits a variety of exhibits - including the Steinway grand piano, which Puccini played, composing Turandot, the composer's hat and coat. A series of postcards with his image can serve as evidence of great love for the composer. It is also fashionable to see the composer's letters and original sketches of the costumes for his operas.
Location: Corte S. Lorenzo, 9.
We advise you to stay in front of the entrance to St. Martin's Cathedral to admire its magnificent facade. Here you can see interesting architectural details. The cathedral was founded in the 6th century. The magnificent marble finish of the facade amazes the viewer. This is an excellent example of the so-called Pisa Romanesque style. On the left half of the gate, you should pay attention to the bas-reliefs with the image of "Christmas" and "Descent from the Cross", the author of which is Niccolo Pisano.
Also amazingly good is the “Tree of Knowledge” with Adam and Eve at the bottom of the gate. On the third altar on the right is the Last Supper Tintoretto. In the sacristy - "Maesta" Ghirlandaio. Among the masterpieces of the cathedral is a magnificent tomb of white marble, located in the left aisle. Hilaria del Carretto is buried here. The tomb was created by the Siena master Jacopo de Querch. Hilaria was the second wife of Paolo Guinji, the almighty ruler of medieval Lucca. Della Quercia portrayed her as a sleeping young beauty, with a touching little dog at her feet, symbolizing the deceased's marital fidelity.
There is a museum in this cathedral, which shows how the ultramodern technologies can bring benefits to medieval buildings. The museum houses many jewelry brought here from the cathedral.
Location: Piazza Antelminelli.
The museum is located in the villa of Guinji. Villa, another city house of the rulers of the city, is a luxurious, but at the same time very simple Renaissance building made of red brick, built in the eastern part of the city. His collection presents a variety of exhibits from 0 archaeological finds to home furniture. Of particular interest are the Romanesque reliefs. The art gallery contains works by Luccan and Siena artists.
Location: Via della Quarquonia - 4.
This recently restored museum houses a large collection of costumes from the 17-18th centuries, including magnificent silk robes that brought Lucca fame. The palace garden, founded in the eighteenth century and decorated with wonderful statues, is small but magnificent. The garden can be admired from the city walls.
Location: Via degli Asili - 33.
The Bourbons gave the city this large, ugly square, which is used as a parking lot during the day. The massive building, located on the western side of the square, was once the meeting place of the Republican Council, but then it was occupied by the Bourbons, and since then the building has been called the Ducal Palace - the Palazzo Ducale. Despite the lack of architectural beauty, Napoleon Square is Lucca's busiest place. Adjacent to it is Lilia Square, with the Teatro Giglio, the most popular city theater, settled on it.
Location: Piazza Napoleone - 27.
The palace, located on Napoleon's square, was rebuilt many times, it does not surprise with magnificence from the outside, however, despite the usual look, inside it you will find many original frescoes dating back to the sixteenth century.
Location: Cortile Carrara - 1.
The square was built on the site of the Roman Forum. In the loggia, located on the south side of the square, a statue of the great artist Lucca, Matteo Civitali, is installed. At the beginning of his career, he was a barber, and then became a sculptor and architect.
In the square you will see the Church of St. Michael at the forum, striking the imagination with an unusual facade. The church began to be built, but the money ended when even the nave was not completed. That is why the upper part of the facade, decorated with openwork loggias and columns, is light and seems to soar in the air. Crowning the facade of the statue of St. Michael and the trumpeting angels.
The main attractions of the building itself - Mansi Palace - the bride’s bedroom and a small reception room. Pictures, mainly portraits, are exhibited almost in the same way as in those days when the palace was a family home. You will see portraits of the Medici family, as well as a portrait of Cosimo of the First brush of Bronzino, where his cruel disposition is beautifully depicted.
Location: Via Galli Tassi - 43.
Another Romanesque masterpiece of Lucca. The church was built in 1112-1147gg. and since then it has not changed much. The facade is adorned with the magnificent Ascension mosaic of the Berlingieri school. It is best to admire it in the evening when gold sparkles in the rays of the spotlights. The beautiful font inside the church dates back to the same period as the church. The chapel behind the font contains the relics of St. Zita. In the next chapel you will see a sixteenth-century mural. It depicts including the acquisition of the Holy Face by Luke and the salvation of the city from flooding by St. Frediano.
Location: Via Anguillara - 9.
This church is interesting for its name and facade. It was built behind the first ring of the ancient Roman walls, and now it is inside the city walls, which helps to understand how the city grew. The modest but harmonious facade of the church, created in the thirteenth century, is designed in the leaning Romanesque style.
Location: Vicolo Tommasi - 1.
Finding a massive town house is easy - an oak tree has grown on top of a huge tower. The palace, built in the fourteenth century of red brick, belonged to the rulers of the city. The large tower is open to the public. At its top is a small cozy garden. From the tower you can admire amazing views of the city, so we advise you to overcome the 230 steps leading upstairs.
Location: Via Sant’Andrea - 45.
The tradition of building towers was popular in Tuscany, because with the help of towers, noble families demonstrated their influence and wealth. The clock tower was built in the thirteenth century. It got its name after a beautiful watch made in Geneva was installed on it in the fourteenth century.
Location: Via Fillungo - 26.
The church is located in the city center, its architectural details are very interesting. We can see elements of the Gothic style preserved from the Middle Ages, Romanesque and Lombard styles. Separately, it is worth mentioning the baptistery of the church, surprising with its arches. Above it you will certainly see a beautiful dome that goes up.
Fourteenth-century frescoes, such as the Baptism of Christ of 1398, have been preserved in this old church.
Location: Via S. Giovanni.
The church, located on the square of the same name, is a prime example of Pisa-Lucca architecture. You can watch the bas-relief of this amazing church for hours, here you can see thousands of human faces, small figures and animals.
On top of the facade is a statue made of marble, the archangel Michael himself with bronze wings. The archangel strikes with a sword a snake at his feet. On the sides of the saint are two trumpeting angels singing the glory of St. Michael. To go inside the church is at least because of the work of Filippino Lippi - “Altar of Magrini”
Location: Piazza San Michele.
No real traveler will refuse to find himself in a city with a centuries-old history, surrounded by the walls of the XVI century, practically unaffected by time, among the architecture of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, colorful markets and shops with local delicacies ... Lucca can surprise, fascinate, intrigue and leave an unforgettable experience.
Lucca is a city with a population of 90 thousand inhabitants, an area of \u200b\u200b185.5 square kilometers, located in the northwest, not far from, and.
Lucca History
Regarding the origin of the city of Lucca, historians have different opinions: some believe that the city, which arose in a swampy area, has a connection with, based on the Celtic-Ligurian name "Luk", which means "swamp"; other scholars, based on recent archaeological discoveries, attribute the foundation of the city to the Etruscans.
But be that as it may, already in 180 BC Lucca was a Roman colony, as evidenced by the square of the Amphitheater, which has an oval shape, and a forum located on the site of the modern square of San Michele. However, the traces of the presence of the ancient Romans are most easily recognized in the historical center of the city, the streets of which repeat the strict perpendicularity of Roman streets. The first fortress walls that limited the square of the ancient Roman city layout belong to the same period.
The history of Lucca consists of periods of wars and foreign domination and the successive years of peace and prosperity. In the 5th century, the Goths occupied Lucca, in the 6th century the Byzantines conquered the city, then Lucca turned into one of the most important cities of the Longobard kingdom. With the fall of Longobard power in 773, the Carolingian domination began, under whose authority the city began to actively develop thanks to commercial activities and textile production - the highest quality silk was made here, which was valued in many countries.
Textile production of ancient Lucca (a museum in the Mansi Palace). Photoflickr. com
Lucca and neighboring Pisa were at war with each other for a long time, and in 1314, the Pisans finally established their power in Lucca, which entailed the loss of Lucca's monopoly in the textile market. In 1370, Lucca regained its freedom and independence, and in 1438 a truce was signed with Florence, which returned the city to a state of economic and political stability.
In 1799, during the Italian campaign of Napoleon, Lucca came under his rule. This historical fact is mentioned in his novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, opening his famous work with the following sentence uttered by maid of honor Anna Scherer in 1805: "Eh bien, mon prince, Gênes et Lucques ne sont plus que des apanages, des" pomestja "de la famille Buonaparte ..." (Well, the prince, Genoa and Lucca became nothing more than estates of the name Bonaparte ...) In 1815, Lucca became the Bourbon duchy, and in 1847 the duke of Lucca Karl Louis of Bourbon-Parma ceded Duchy of Lucca to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, which led to the loss of its independence.
Coat of arms of the Duchy of Lucca. Photo loschermo.it
A tourist destination began to develop in Lucca around 1930, which was greatly facilitated by the construction of the Firenze-Mare highway (Florence - the sea).
Lucca Attractions
The first thing that catches the eye of a tourist who has decided to explore Lucca is an impressive fortress wall, built in the XV-XVII centuries to protect the city, 4223 meters long, with 11 bastions, six outer and three inner gates. Already in the second half of the 19th century, a powerful fortress wall began to be used as a place for hiking. For some time, until the 90s of the last century, cars, including heavy trucks, even drove through it - the only example in the world of such use of fortress walls. Today, the city walls are a great place for walking and cycling.
Alley on the city wall. Photoflickr. com
History Center Lucca has been preserved practically unchanged from the Middle Ages - the same narrow streets, squares with adjoining towers and palaces and about 60 churches. The city crosses the main street of ancient Lucca - Via Fillungo (Via Fillungo).
Via Fillungo. Photoflickr. com
Cathedral of St. Martin. Photo flickr.com
Among the masterpieces that can be seen inside the cathedral are the painting “Madonna on the Throne with the Baby and Saints” by a 15th-century Florentine artist Domenico Ghirlandaio and the tombstone of Hilaria Carretto by sculptor Jacopo Della Quercia.
Tombstone of the work of Jacopo della Quercia. Photobefan. it
Church of St. Michael (Chiesa di San Michele in Foro) located on, and (Basilica di San Frediano) are prime examples of Pisa-Lucca architecture.
Church of St. Michael. Photoflickr. com
(Torre Giunigi) 44 meters high is the main and highest tower of Lucca - one of the few surviving to this day, although at the beginning of the XIV century the city had more than 250 towers and bell towers. Guinigi, the most noble family of the city, decided to ennoble his family tower by planting several oaks on its top - a symbol of rebirth.
Guinigi Tower.Photoflickr. com
Amphitheater Square (Piazza dell "Anfiteatro) has the shape of an ellipse, since it was built in the Middle Ages on the remains of an ancient Roman amphitheater dating back to the 2nd century. The level of the modern square is three meters higher than the ancient arena. Four gates lead to the square, only one of which , the lowest, completely repeat their medieval original.
Amphitheater Square. Photobanningpoverty. org
Villa Paolo Guinigi (XV century) since 1924 is the location of the state museum, which contains a rich art and archaeological collection.
Mansi Palace (Palazzo Mansi), built at the end of the 16th century, is also now a museum, whose exhibits are on only paintings by masters of the 19th century, but also samples of old Lucca fabrics and textile products.
Pfanner Palace (Palazzo Pfanner) The 17th century is a magnificent example of the Lucca Baroque, surrounded by a beautiful garden.
IN giacomo Puccini House Museumwhere the composer was born, his letters, scores, photographs, personal items are currently stored.
What to try in Lucca
Local cuisine is based on the old traditions of preparing simple but tasty and original dishes. We will name some of them. Garmucha - spring soup with onions, peas, artichokes, asparagus, green beans on beef broth, served with pieces of meat and brisket and toasted bread with olive oil. Matuffy - tender polenta (porridge made from cornmeal) with meat sauce or with mushrooms and parmesan. Rovellina - thin slices of beef, fried and stewed in a sauce of tomatoes, capers and herbs. Fried baccala (dried cod) with chickpeas, seasoned with olive oil, pepper and salt. Rabbit in sauce from onions, garlic, tomatoes, olives, red pepper and herbs. Pork with chestnut flour polenta, lamb with olives, trout from the Serkio river on a spit.
Vegetable casseroles are also an integral part of the Lucca cuisine; they use spinach, green beans, artichokes, cauliflower and beetroot. Vegetables baked in the oven with bechamel sauce and egg yolks. Almost all dishes are seasoned with a local DOP sign.
Sweets lovers should pay attention to bucelato - sweet cake with raisins and anise, castanaccio - chestnut cake with pine nuts and raisins, nothing - Chestnut pancakes stuffed with ricotta.
Sweet nechchi. Photonellamiacucina. altervista. org
Wines this area includes both white and red Montecarlo DOC and Colline Lucchesi DOC, as well as “Biadina” aromatic herbal liquor, which is also an excellent souvenir for tourists, as it is produced in only one place in the historical center of Lucca.
How to get to Lucca
By car: from Florence on the A11 Firenze-Mare motorway; from Genoa - take the A12 Genova-Rosignano motorway.
By train or bus, Lucca can be reached from Florence, Pisa and Viareggio.
By plane: to the nearest airport of Pisa - 30 km, to the airport of Florence - 70 km, to the airport of Rome - 350 km.
Sights of Lucca. The most important and interesting sights of Lucca - photos and videos, descriptions and reviews, location, sites.
- May Tours to Italy
- Hot tours all over the world
All All Architecture Museums Nature Religion
The most attractive part of Lucca for tourists can be considered the medieval part of the city - that is, everything that is surrounded by an old protective wall. If you adhere to the historical chronology of the city, you should start with the Roman amphitheater, which is located on Via Fillungo (the main entrance from Piazza Scarpellini). True, you will not see the amphitheater as such. Medieval houses grew exactly where viewers stood millennia ago. And its arena is still used today as a concert venue (Van Morrison and The Eagles once performed here).
The Cathedral of San Martino, built in the 14th century, is a wonderful example of Romanesque architecture. Not only does it look beautiful from the outside, but it also stores inside a great many priceless historical and cultural treasures. Look at the famous crucifix, which, according to legend, was carved from a tree by a contemporary of Jesus Christ, Nicodemus, and the sarcophagus of Illaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia.
Be sure to find an image of the Cretan labyrinth on one of the columns of the portico of the cathedral: it seems to be even older than the similar one in Chartres Cathedral (France).
Guinigi Tower is also one of Lucca's must-see attractions. Actually, you need to look not at the tower, but from it at the city. It is extremely pleasant to do this, even despite the abundance of people who always hustle above: firstly, oaks giving shade were planted on the top of the tower about 400 years ago, and secondly, the view itself is bewitching. It is definitely worth the climb of 230 steps. The second tower that you can climb in Lucca is the Clock Tower with its original clocks still working. From here you will see a beautiful perspective of Fillungo Street.
Fillungo Street is the main street in Lucca. It is full of bars, shops and other things that are so sweet to the heart of a tourist.
A single ticket allows you to climb both towers at a discount, but they are located in different parts of the city.
Lucca abounds with beautiful churches, each of which is special. The Church of St. Michael the Archangel is located in the center of the former Roman forum, and it is decorated with an amazing facade with numerous relief columns, which can be viewed at least an hour in a row (with good optics). The San Frediano Basilica is distinguished by a monumental gilded mosaic at the very top, on the facade. The Church of St. Alexander is the most modest of all, neoclassical, but it will be very interesting for everyone who is passionate about history and architecture.
Amazingly the Palazzo Pfanner: in the building itself, only a few rooms are open for inspection, but the gardens can cause admiration even for those who are completely indifferent to gardening.
Palazzo
The wonderful palaces of Lucca also cannot be ignored. Between Villa Mansi and Villa Guinigi in the 20th century the art collection of the National Museum of Lucca was distributed. At the same time, most of the objects of the collection are exhibited in the second mansion, while the first is mainly a museumized dwelling of a noble and wealthy family. Amazingly the Palazzo Pfanner: in the building itself, only a few rooms are open for inspection, but the gardens on its territory can cause admiration even for those who are completely indifferent to gardening.
The latter fully applies to the terraced gardens of Villa Garzoni. This stunning former estate is located, however, not in Lucca itself, but almost on the very border of the province of Lucca. Gardens were established in the mid 17th century. next to the old castle, and in them there is, including the most beautiful “water garden” at the foot of the hill, under the rows of balustrades.
the most
Cathedral of San Martino
Lucca, Piazza Antelminelli
The construction of the cathedral in Lucca was begun in 1063 by Bishop Anselm (later Pope Alexander II). This Roman Catholic Cathedral is an outstanding architectural masterpiece, although somewhat heterogeneous in appearance due to age and numerous modifications.
the most
National Museum of the Palazzo Mansi
Lucca, Via Galli Tassi, 43
Like the National Museum of Villa Guinigi, this museum occupies an old rich mansion, where in the first half of the 20th century. moved from the Palazzo Pubblico part of the general collection of the National Museum of Lucca. The beautiful Palazzo building serves as a reminder of the centuries-old history of the noble Mansi family.
Lucca is a beautiful old town in Tuscany, one of the most interesting cities in Italy. About Lucca they told me literally everyone who happened to be there.
Lucca is the only city in Italy completely surrounded by a massive rampart that protected the city from flooding. The walls were rebuilt many times. The current length of the walls of Lucca is 4 kilometers 450 meters. Several gates have survived, which were closed during the threat of flooding. Through one of these gates we entered the city.
Eliza Bonaparte was once raised here and transported to the city using a special mechanism so as not to open the gates during the next flood.
At the beginning of the 19th century, by the order of this very Eliza, plane trees were planted on the walls of Lucca, forming wide boulevards around the city.
It turns out that I entered Lucca, violating the Medieval Law, in the 16th century, foreigners were allowed to enter the city only through the gates of Porta san Pietro, where customs was located.
The streets of Lucca in most cases are quite spacious and crowded.
It is not often possible in Lucca to remain alone with the Middle Ages.
Some kind of very lively, positive city, causes a comfortable feeling.
Palazzo Pretorio is located on the main square of San Michele; today, the building is the local municipality. In the same area -.
In Lucca there were many "falling" buildings.
Similar buildings are residential, however ...
Lucca has 130 towers, more than in any other city in Italy. - the highest tower of the city, and the most famous - with oaks on top.
Towers are found literally at every turn.
Church of San Salvatore of the 12th century is located on the square of the same name.
This square is also called the square of Mercy.
In Lucca there are several popular museums for tourists. We came across a torture museum, at the entrance to which a real guillotine was exhibited.
In the very center of the city, on Napoleon's Square, the Ducal Palace is located. The already mentioned Eliza Bonaparte lived in this palace.
Now in the Ducal Palace in Lucca are offices of various cultural organizations, including the UNESCO Forum.
On an April day there were a lot of flowers on the streets, not to mention the fact that the famous simply turned into a flower market.
You can walk endlessly through the streets of Lucca, each time wandering into some new corners.
The city is big enough. And there are many tourists in it. Perhaps this is the only thing that I did not like in Lucca ...
Many move around the city on bicycles.
You can rent a bike, we met several rental points. True, pleasure is not cheap.
Next time we’ll try to ride along Lucca with iron horses, although in some places cycling along the ancient pavement is probably not the greatest pleasure.
Behind such ancient doors hides the ordinary everyday life of the inhabitants of Lucca, of whom there are about 80,000.
Surveys show that many dream of moving to megacities.
For half a day in Lucca, of course, we did not see everything. I managed to drop in for a minute in a very beautiful cathedral.
We didn’t even get to the Duomo, seeing it only from the clock tower. Next time we will definitely visit. Lucca has many museums. And also in this city is the smallest (70 sq.m) historical theater in the world - Teatrino di Vetriano. And yet there is a mass of everything I would like to see ...
This wooden crucifix was carved from Lebanese cedar by the Evangelical Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin and secret student of Christ. together with Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus removed the body of Jesus from the Cross. When Nicodemus decided to make an image of the crucified Christ, he was faced with difficulty: he could not reproduce the facial features of Jesus. however, Lik appeared miraculously thanks to angelic help, as claimed in some versions of the legend. Crucifixion is the main relic of Lucca.
I liked to consider the faces of the people accompanying the Holy Face, here each participant is carefully written out and with his own individual character. True, for this I had to sacrifice a coin to turn on the lighting in a dark chapel.
The most shocking detail in the interior is Saint Zita. The mummified saint looks very creepy, just like. Quote wiki
Zita was born in 1212 in the village of Monsagrati, near the city of Lucca, Tuscany region. At the age of 12, she began to serve at the Fatinelli family home. For a long time, employers overloaded the girl with work, often beaten. However, continuous bad attitude towards Zita did not deprive her of inner peace and tranquility. Zita suffered humiliations humbly, which, in the end, softened the attitude of her hosts and colleagues [colleagues, Giuseppe! who wrote this article?] on work. The constant piety and patience of Zita brought the Fatinelli family to Christian conversion. Zita considered her work a calling from God and an element of personal repentance.
After her death, members of this family began to revere Zita as a saint. In 1580, her body was exhumed and it turned out that the relics of St. Zita were incorrupt. They were transferred to the Basilica of St. Fredian in the city of Lucca, where they are currently stored.
All three famous churches of Lucca impressed me that the most pleasant thing is that they are located a five-minute walk from each other, so even with a shortage of time, you can easily have time to inspect them in one sitting.
40. Amphitheater Square
In ancient times, Lucca was a rich city and could afford an arena for gladiatorial battles for ten thousand spectators. Over time, the Lucca Amphitheater was destroyed and built up with buildings. Now his arena is resting at a depth of three meters under the square. But in the 19th century, the authorities decided to build a square in this place, repeating the Roman arena in its form. Thus appeared the picturesque and unusual with its oval shape Piazza dell "Anfiteatro.
I, as always, was beautiful, but since in the morning I was seeing my friend home, I had to capture myself in a mirror window.
Lucca is a moderately touristic city, and I found the largest cluster of my brothers in the Amphitheater Square. There is also the largest concentration of black brothers merchants with all sorts of nonsense.
From the outside of the Amphitheater Square, the remains of the upper tiers of the ancient arena are preserved in some places.
Lucca became just a balm for my soul weary of the trip. No, really, as, besides a lot of interesting sights, there is a very pleasant atmosphere, a comfortable and prosperous city.
31. Guinigi Tower
In the Middle Ages, a whole “forest” rose from Lucca from high residential towers. They were built to decorate the city and demonstrate the wealth of the owner of the household. Now a similar landscape with towers can be seen, and in Lucc, in fact, only one tower has survived. The tower was built by the Guinigi family, who actually ruled Lucca at the turn of the XIV and XV centuries. She left behind a rich residence with a 45-meter tower. It all ended in the fact that the last descendant from the Guinigi clan transferred the tower to the ownership of the city.
The Guinigi were inventive builders: they decorated their tower with a hat of living green trees. On the upper platform of the tower, boxes of earth are embedded, in which seven stone oaks grow. And from the top of the tower - just under the canopy of these same oaks - offers an excellent view of the whole city.
I decided that I had to climb the Guinigi tower, since the entrance there was quite inexpensive, three or four euros. While rising, he looked out the windows of the houses of the Luccians (or how will the resident of Lucca be right?).
The clock tower and bell tower of San Frediano.
Amphitheater Square.
Clock tower a little closer.
Those same famous oaks on the roof of the tower. The first time I see this!
Duomo Lucca.
Patios, it is surprising that there is so much greenery.
By and large, I have already bypassed the main attractions of Lucca, but decided to take a little walk around the city I liked.
The first column in Italy dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. in honor of the adoption of the corresponding dogma in the 19th century. But in Lucca she appeared as much as 200 years earlier, when the Immaculate Conception did not become an official dogma.
Another fountain with clean drinking water. Then I just finished drinking, I stood in line for the seniors and also scooped up a bottle of local mineral water. The water tastes very good!
Gothic San Francesco of the 15th century.
This is not only a church, but also a monastery. I penetrated the open gate and walked around the monastery courtyards for a bit.
Rear facade of the church of the Franciscan monastery.
Behind the monastery is a vast area. It was no longer not that tourists, but the locals, it seems, did not get to this area.
I climbed onto the city wall again, only in the opposite part of the station in the north of the city. I remind you that Lucca is one of the four cities in Italy, where the wall surrounding the city has completely survived. However, it does not look like a wall, rather a boulevard.
A traditional cat, without which it is impossible to make a normal report.
And once again I emphasize that Lucca is charming and nice, even aside from the tourist routes.
I have not shown half of the churches of Lucca. Getting around them all in half a day is simply unrealistic. At every turn there are masterpieces like this 12th century Chiesa di Santa Maria Forisportam. The church is interesting in that a sundial is installed inside, made according to the principle of a pinhole camera. A small hole was made in the wall, and at noon a ray of sunshine indicates a specific place on the church floor.
A plaque in honor of the blessed Gemma Galgani.
In 1899, when she was 20 years old, Gemma had stigmata. She stated that she began to receive private revelations from the Virgin Mary, the guardian angel and other saints. At the request of his spiritual father, Gemma prayed for the cessation of these visions and the stigmata disappeared.
Living in poverty, Gemma became widely known for her holy life in the city of Lucca, but she did not find support for her spiritual life, meeting neglect and negative attitude to her visions among relatives and the church hierarchy. In early 1903, Gemma became ill with tuberculosis. During her short but fatal illness, she received various extraordinary mystical phenomena. At the beginning of Holy Week, her health deteriorated sharply and she died during Good Friday April 11, 1903.
After the death of Gemma, her spiritual father, who kept secret all her mystical experiences, wrote a detailed biography, publishing a personal diary and letters to Gemma. Ecclesiastical authority after the publication of the works of Gemma recognized the authenticity of her mystical life.
My walk in Lucca was not too long and took about three hours. The city is very compact, so I had enough of this time to get around the main attractions. All in all, Lucca is a great option for a half day trip from Florence.
