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Inhabitants in 1991: 87.100
 The
territory of Lucca extends for 185,53 square kilometres, occupying for
the most part a vast alluvial plain formed by the Serchio, between
the southern offshoot of the Apuane Alps, the Pistoia Apennine to the
north and Monte Pisano to the south. It reached its present day aspect
in 1884, when an area of the territory belonging to the Borgo a Mossano
was aggregated to it and at the same time losing some land to the advantage
of Capannori.
Probably founded by the people of Liguria, who made it their
southern outpost, Lucca would have subsequently suffered the influence
– if not the dominance. – of the Etruscans, and then
become a “Municipium Romano” (89 B.C.). Certainly,
in its early development it benefited from its position of important
road junction at the crossroad between the Cassia, the Clodia and
the Aemilia Scauria. The importance of the city grew however in the Longobardo
era, when it became the Seat of a Duchy and the capital of the Tuscia,
a role which it maintained even with the Carolingian reorganisation of
the Empire and the creation of the Marquisate. In 1118 it was
made a free municipality, from 1186, with the official recognition
of its autonomy by the Emperor Enrico VI, a new phase of ascent
began for the city which lasted for 1½ centuries, marked by the usual
conflicts between its neighbouring municipalities, among which, and above
all, Pisa showed as the traditional rival. Despite, several
hold ups caused by the diplomatic warring mishaps – like that of
1234 when under restraint they were forced into a non conditional peace
with Pisa and Firenze - the economic growth ran parallel with the strengthening
of the States foundations. In the 1308 citizen’s statute
we thus find the supremacy by the peoples “parties” sanctioned
(Art in the first instance) and a precise delineation administrative structure
of the territory. Even Lucca could not escape from the internal disputes
which characterised the life of the Toscani municipalities; divided by
the Bianchi captained by the Antelminelli, and the Neri
with the Obizzi leadership, and in 1300 the city was in the power of the
latter.
 Weakened
by the fighting and by the death of Arrigo VII, it could not avoid,
in 1314, the conquest by Uguccione della Faggiola, Lord of Pisa;
his domination soon came to an end thanks to Castruccio Castracani
of the Antelminelli, who became first Captain General and then Lord
of the city (1320) and in fact the champion of the Toscano Ghibellinismo.
With the conquest of Pistoia and the Victory of Altopascio (1325) he expanded
the borders of the State, threatening Firenze at close quarters and receiving,
in 1327, the title of Duke and Vicar of Lucca, Pistoia, Luna and Volterra
from Ludovico il Bavaro. But at the death di Castruccio (1328)
there began a worrying period for Lucca. In a few years it was successively
subjugated to the Lords Gherardo Spinola, Giovanni di Boemia, the
Rossi di Parma, the Scaligeri and from 1342 again under the dominion
of Pisa. Only in 1369 was the city able to reclaim from Carlo IV its
own autonomy. It then established a regime drawn by the compromise between
the oligarchy components and that of the people. But in 1392 the powerful
Guinigi family progressively took the upper hand and with Paolo conquered
the Lordship of the city in 1400; they remained in power until 1430
when their ambiguous conduct during the war against Firenze caused their
fall. The restored government managed to stipulate a fifty year peace
with Firenze (1438) with safe advantage for the prosperity of the
republic, even if in this period Lucca had to renounce Carrara
to the Malaspina (1445) and a large part of the Garfagnana, passed to
the Estensi (1452). In compensation, in the second half of the 1400s,
it assisted in a decisive work of internal pacification between
the eminent families, there were immigration incentives, and various land
reclaim works near the sea, trying to render Viareggio as an important
commercial port. Thanks to the soundness of the cities finances
Lucca even came through the supremacy wars unscathed literally buying
from Emperor Massimiliano and then Carlo V, certificates that guaranteed
the freedom of the republic. Life was turbulent in 1531-32 with
the “revolt of the rags” (weavers rebelling against
the limitations imposed on the production of silk fabric) the strong
repression by the Oligarchy citizens, and then with the conspiracy
of the idealist Francesco Burlamacchi (1546) who tried without success
to drag his city and other Tuscane cities into the attempt to break
the Medicea supremacy. But with the Martino Bernardini (1556) constitutional
reform put an end to any unrest even that of a religious character
(in the preceding years the idea of the reform had been extraordinarily
defused in Lucca) emphasising the Oligarchy character and the limitation
of the management class; for 2½ centuries the city was thus governed
by conservative politics in the shadow the Spanish and the Empire,
who contributed to the ruralization of the patricianship, as consequence
of the series of failures that swept the overseas trading companies of
Lucca in the first half of the 1600s. In 1799 during the occupation by
the French troops, democratic ideas sprung up again in Lucca, but not
for long, since Napoleon transformed it into principality trusting
it to Felice and Elisa Baciocchi Bonapart (1805).
It passed on 1817 to Maria Luisa di Borbone and lastly in 1847
it was ceded to the Grand Duke Leopoldo II di Toscana. In 1860
the city was united to the realm of Sardegna. During the German
occupation the population suffered numerous massacres, like
those perpetrated at Nozzano, Balbano and Ponte San Pietro. The most cruel
reprisal was on 2 September 1944 a few days before the Liberation of the
city. The Nazis invaded the Certosa di Farneta at night where they found
around one hundred civilians hiding; nuns and citizens were captured,
many of them were killed in diverse places in the province of Lucca
and Massa, and others were destined to go to the German concentration
camps. Among the many Lucca Resistance figures must be remembered Gabriele
Maria Costa from Certosa who won the gold medal for the intrepid role
of liaison between the Lucca CLN and the partisan formation operating
on the Apennines. Lucca is the birthplace of numerous illustrious
persons among which the poet Buonagiunta Orbicciani (1230-1300),
the artist Bonaventura Berlinghieri (active between 1228 and 1274),
the leader Castruccio Castracani, the writer and chronicler Giovanni
Sercambi (1347-1424), the musicians Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762),
Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805), Alfredo Catalani (1854-1893)
and Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924); the Guirister Francesco Carrara
(1805-1888), Giovanni Giorgi (1871-1950), Engineer creator of the
Electromagnetic unity system known as MKS, and Arrigo Benedetti
(1910-1976), writer and journalist.
Places to visit:
The Walls, perfectly preserved because they were never
used, constructed between 1544 and 1645 (the are unique in Italy,
still today so intact). Twelve metres high and four kilometres in
length, furnished with eleven ramparts, they today hold a splendid
wooded park.
Piazza Anfiteatro called The Market, positioned
in the ancient centre of the city it is of elliptical form in that
it was constructed in the form of a Roman amphitheatre. It is completely
surrounded by Medieval houses. In 1830 after the urban reorganisation
it became a food market.
Via Fillungo, crossing the historic
heart of Lucca. Noted as one of the most elegant streets in Italy.
Important antique palaces which belonged to noble families face onto
it and also imposing tower houses.
Via Guinigi, entirely
lined by buildings erected in various eras (starting from the XIII
century) by the extremely important Guinigi family.
Torre Guinigi
in Via S. Andrea looms the very high tower encircled by oak trees.
It is part of the Guinigi palace built in 1300.
National Museum
of the Mansi Palace, elegant construction of XVII century with
delicate murals in the interior, hosts the important works of the
National Picture Gallery
Casa Puccini, the house where
the musician was born today is a museum where his documents and musical
instruments are preserved.
Il Duomo, Cathedral di San Martino,
faces onto the same name square. Founded in the VI century by San
Frediano, it was built in diverse phases. In 1200 it was completely
remodelled. The elegant marble façade opens with three great
arches and has a crenellated bell tower on high. The three nave interior,
partially covered in murals, preserves a formidable sculpture (S.
Martino on horseback and the mendicant) from the XIII century and
the admirable funeral monument of Ilaria del Carretto sculpted by
Jacopo della Quercia, and other precious works of art. Near the Cathedral,
the Cathedral Museum is found where prestigious works of art
and numerous antique illuminated codex from the Medieval to the 1400s
are exhibited.
Church of S. Frediano, built in the first
half of the XII century, shows the original tripartite façade
overlooked by a huge mosaic of the Ascension from the XIII century.
The three nave interior holds a Romanic baptismal fountain, a Robbiana
terracotta and works by Jacopo della Quercia.
S. Michele in
Foro, it opens onto the same name square showing the exquisite
façade with four galleries one over the other. Begun in 1070
it is a significant example of co-existence of two solutions, Romanic
and Gothic. The interior preserves important works from the 1500s. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of
Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e
Giuridici
Picture by Sandro Santioli
Translated by Ann Mountford
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Gallery: Lucca area
