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Lucca

Coordinates:43°50′30″N10°30′10″E/ 43.84167°N 10.50278°E/43.84167; 10.50278
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the city in Italy. For other uses, seeLucca (disambiguation).

Lucca
Comune
Comune di Lucca
Italy - Lucca - 2
View of Lucca (2022)
Flag of Lucca
Flag
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
Location of Lucca
Map
Lucca is located in Italy
Lucca
Lucca
Location of Lucca in Italy
Lucca is located in Tuscany
Lucca
Lucca
Lucca (Tuscany)
Coordinates:43°50′30″N10°30′10″E/ 43.84167°N 10.50278°E/43.84167; 10.50278
CountryItaly
RegionTuscany
ProvinceLucca(LU)
Frazioniseelist
Government
• MayorMario Pardini(Independent)
Area
[1]
• Total185.5 km2(71.6 sq mi)
Elevation
19 m (62 ft)
Population
(30 September 2017)[2]
• Total89,346
• Density480/km2(1,200/sq mi)
DemonymLucchesi
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code
55100
Dialing code0583
ISTATcode046017
Patron saintSt. Paulinus
Saint dayJuly 12
Websitecomune.lucca.it
Lucca Cathedral

Lucca(/ˈluːkə/LOO-kə,Italian:[ˈlukka]ⓘ) is a city andcomuneinTuscany,Central Italy,on theSerchioRiver, in a fertile plain near theLigurian Sea.The city has a population of about 89,000,[3]while itsprovincehas a population of 383,957.[4]

Lucca is known as an Italian "Città d'arte" (City of Art) from its intactRenaissance-eracity walls[5][6]and its very well preserved historic center, where, among other buildings and monuments, are located thePiazza dell'Anfiteatro,which has its origins in the second half of the 1st century A.D., theGuinigi Tower,a 45-metre-tall (150 ft) tower that dates from the 1300s[7][8]and the Cathedral of San Martino.[9]

The city is the birthplace of numerous world-class composers, includingGiacomo Puccini,Alfredo Catalani,andLuigi Boccherini.[10]

Toponymy

[edit]

By theRomans,Lucca was known asLuca.From more recent and concrete toponymic studies, the name Lucca has references that lead to "sacred grove" (Latin:lucus), "to cut" (Latin:lucare) and "luminous space" (leuk,a term used by the first European populations). The origin apparently refers to a wooded area deforested to make room for light or to a clearing located on a river island ofSerchiodebris, in the middle of wooded areas.[11][12]

History

[edit]
For a chronological guide, seeTimeline of Lucca.

Antiquity

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The territory of present-day Lucca was certainly settled by theEtruscans,and it also has traces of a probable earlierLigurianpresence (calledLukmeaning "marsh", which was previously speculated as a possible origin of the city's name), dating from the 3rd century BC. However, it was only with the arrival of theRomansthat the area took on the appearance of a real town. It obtained the status of a Roman colony in 180 BC and of a municipality (municipium) in 89 BC.[13][14]

The rectangular grid of its historical centre preserves the Roman street plan, and thePiazza San Micheleoccupies the site of the ancientforum.The outline of the Romanamphitheatreis still seen in thePiazza dell'Anfiteatro,and the outline of aRoman theateris visible inPiazza Sant'Augostino.Fragments of theRoman-era wallsare incorporated into the church of Santa Maria della Rosa.

At theLucca Conference,in 56 BC,Julius Caesar,Pompey,andCrassusreaffirmed their political alliance known as theFirst Triumvirate.[14][15]

Middle Ages

[edit]
See also:Duchy of Tuscia
Piazza dell'Anfiteatroand theBasilica of San Frediano

Frediano,anIrishmonk,wasbishop of Luccain the early sixth century.[16]At one point, Lucca was plundered byOdoacer,the first Germanic King of Italy. Lucca was an important city and fortress even in the sixth century, whenNarsesbesieged it for several months in 553. From 576 to 797, under theLombards,it was the capital of a duchy, known asDuchy of Tuscia,which included a large part of today's Tuscany and theprovince of Viterbo,during this time the city also minted its own coins.[17]TheHoly Face of Lucca(or Volto Santo), a major relic supposedly carved byNicodemus,arrived in 742.

Among the population that inhabited Lucca in the medieval era, there was also a significant presence ofJews.The first mention of their presence in the city is from a document from the year 859. The Jewish community was led by theKalonymos family(which later became a major component of proto-Ashkenazic Jewry).[18]

Thanks above all to theHoly Faceand to the relics of important saints, such asSan RegoloandSaint Fridianus,the city was one of the main destinations of theVia Francigena,the major pilgrimage route to Rome from the north.[19]

The Lucca cloth was a silk fabric that was woven with gold or silver threads. It was a popular type of textile in Lucca throughout the mediaeval period.[20][21]

Lucca became prosperous through thesilktrade that began in the eleventh century, and came to rival the silks ofByzantium.During the tenth–eleventh centuries Lucca was the capital of the feudalmargraviate of Tuscany,more or less independent but owing nominal allegiance to theHoly Roman Emperor.

In 1057,Anselm of Baggio(later Pope Alexander II) was appointed bishop of Lucca, a position he held also during the papacy. As bishop of Lucca he managed to rebuild the patrimony of theChurchof Lucca, recovering alienated assets, obtaining numerous donations thanks to his prestige, and had theCathedralof the city rebuilt. From 1073 to 1086, the bishop of Lucca was his nephewAnselm II,a prominent figure in the Investiture Controversy.[22][23]

During the High Middle Ages, one of the most illustrious dynasties of Lucca was the noble Allucingoli family, who managed to forge strong ties with the Church. Among the family members were Ubaldo Allucingoli, who was elected to the Papacy asPope Lucius IIIin 1181, and theCardinalsGerardo AllucingoliandUberto Allucingoli.[24][25]

Republican period (12th to 19th century)

[edit]
Main article:Republic of Lucca

After the death ofMatilda of Tuscany,the city began to constitute itself an independentcommunewith a charter in 1160. For almost 500 years, Lucca remained an independent republic. There were many minor provinces in the region between southernLiguriaand northern Tuscany dominated by theMalaspina;Tuscany in this time was a part of feudal Europe.Dante'sDivine Comedyincludes 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 aGuelphcapitano del popolo(captain of the people) namedLuchetto Gattilusio.In 1314, internal discord allowedUguccione della Faggiuolaof Pisa to make himself lord of Lucca. The Lucchesi expelled him two years later, and handed over the city to anothercondottiero,Castruccio Castracani,under whose rule it became a leading state in central Italy. Lucca rivalledFlorenceuntil Castracani's death in 1328. On 22 and 23 September 1325, in thebattle of Altopascio,Castracani defeatedFlorence's Guelphs. For this he was nominated byLouis IV the Bavarianto become duke of Lucca. Castracani's tomb is in the church of San Francesco. His biography isMachiavelli's third famous book on political rule.

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 toMastino II della ScalaofVerona,sold to the Florentines, surrendered to the Pisans, and then nominally liberated by the emperorCharles IVand governed by his vicar.

In 1408, Lucca hosted aconvocationorganized byPope Gregory XIIwith his cardinals intended to end the schism in the papacy.[26]

Lucca managed, at first as ademocracy,and after 1628 as anoligarchy,to maintain its independence alongside ofVeniceandGenoa,and painted the wordLibertason its banner until the French Revolution in 1789.[27]

Early modern period

[edit]
Main articles:Principality of Lucca and PiombinoandDuchy of Lucca
Palazzo Pfanner,garden view

Lucca had been the second largest Italian city state (afterVenice) with a republican constitution ( "comune" ) to remain independent over the centuries.

Between 1799 and 1800, it was contested by the French and Austrian armies. Finally the French prevailed and granted a democratic constitution in the 1801. However, already in 1805 the Republic of Lucca was converted into a monarchy byNapoleon,who installed his sisterElisa Bonaparte Baciocchias "Princess of Lucca".

From 1815 to 1847, it was aBourbon-Parmaduchy.The only reigning dukes of Lucca wereMaria Luisa of Spain,who was succeeded by her sonCharles II, Duke of Parmain 1824. Meanwhile, theDuchy of Parmahad been assigned for life toMarie Louise, Duchess of Parma,the second wife ofNapoleon.In accordance with theTreaty of Vienna (1815),upon the death ofMarie Louise, Duchess of Parmain 1847, Parma reverted toCharles II, Duke of Parma,while Lucca lost independence and was annexed to theGrand Duchy of Tuscany.As part of Tuscany, it became part of theKingdom of Sardiniain 1860 and finally part of theItalian Statein 1861.

World War II internment camp

[edit]
Further information:List of World War II prisoner-of-war camps in Italy

In 1942, duringWorld War II,aprisoner-of-warcamp was established at the village ofColle di Compito,in the municipality ofCapannori,about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Lucca. Its official number was P.G. (prigionieri di guerra) 60,[28]and it was usually referred to as PG 60 Lucca.[29]Although it never had permanent structures and accommodation consisted of tents in an area prone to flooding, it housed more than 3,000 British andCommonwealthprisoners of war during the period of its existence. It was handed over to the Germans on 10 September 1943, not long after the signing of theItalian armistice.During theItalian Social Republic,as apuppet stateof the Germans,political prisoners,foreigners,common lawprisoners andJewswere interned there, and it functioned as aconcentration camp.In June 1944, the prisoners were moved toBagni di Lucca.[28]

Government

[edit]
See also:List of mayors of Lucca

Culture

[edit]

Lucca is thebirthplaceofcomposersGiacomo Puccini(La BohèmeandMadama Butterfly),Nicolao Dorati,Francesco Geminiani,Gioseffo Guami,Luigi Boccherini,andAlfredo Catalani.It is also the birthplace of artistBenedetto Brandimarte.Since 2004, Lucca is home toIMT Lucca,a public research institution and a selective graduate school and part of theSuperior Graduate Schools in Italy(Grandes écoles).[30]

Guinigi Tower

Events

[edit]

Lucca hosts the annual Lucca Summer Festival. The 2006 edition featured live performances byEric Clapton,Placebo,Massive Attack,Roger Waters,Tracy Chapman,andSantanaat the Piazza Napoleone.

Lucca hosts the annualLucca Comics and Gamesfestival, Europe's largest festival forcomics,movies,gamesand related subjects.

Other events include:

  • Lucca Film Festival[31]
  • Lucca Digital Photography Fest[32]
  • Procession of Santa Croce, on 13 September. Costume procession through the town's roads.
  • Lucca Jazz Donna[33]
  • Lucca Classica Music Festival[34]

Moreover, Lucca hostsLucca Biennale Cartasia,[35]an international biennial contemporary art exhibition focusing solely onPaper Art.

Film and television

[edit]

Mauro Bolognini's 1958 filmGiovani mariti,withSylva Koscina,is set and was filmed in Lucca.[citation needed]

Sergio Martino's 1993 miniseriesPrivate Crimes,starringEdwige Fenech,is set and was filmed in Lucca.

Top Gearfilmed the third episode of the17th seasonhere.

Architecture

[edit]

Lucca is also known for its marble deposits. After a fire in the early 1900s, the West Wing of theLegislative Assembly of Ontariowas rebuilt with marble sourced in Lucca. The floor mosaic in the West Wing was hand-laid and is constructed entirely of Italian, Lucca marble.

Main sights

[edit]
Palazzo Ducale
A stretch of the walls
Via Fillungo view from the Clock Tower
Autumn atop bastions
View of Lucca from the Clock Tower

Walls, streets, and squares

[edit]

The walls encircling the old townremain intact, even though the city has expanded and been modernised, which is unusual for cities in this region. These walls were built initially as a defensiverampartwhich, after losing their military importance, became a pedestrian promenade (the Passeggiata delle Mure Urbane) atop the walls which not only links the Bastions of 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 but also passes over the gates (Porte) of San Donato, Santa Maria, San Jacopo, Elisa, San Pietro, and Sant'Anna. Each of the four principal sides of the structure is lined with a tree species different from the others.

The walled city is encircled by Piazzale Boccherini, Viale Lazzaro Papi, Viale Carlo Del Prete, Piazzale Martiri della Libertà, Via Batoni, Viale Agostino Marti, Viale G. Marconi (videGuglielmo Marconi), Piazza Don A. Mei, VialePacini,Viale Giusti, Piazza Curtatone, Piazzale Ricasoli, Viale Ricasoli, Piazza Risorgimento (videRisorgimento), and VialeGiosuè Carducci.

The town includes a number of public squares, most notably thePiazza dell'Anfiteatro,(site of the ancient Roman amphitheater), the Piazzale Verdi, the Piazza Napoleone, and the Piazza San Michele.

The courtyard ofMuseo Nazionale di Palazzo Mansi
Teatro del Giglio
Puccini's statue on Piazza Cittadella created by Vito Tongiani
San Michele in Foro
San Michele at Antraccoli

Palaces, villas, houses, offices, and museums

[edit]

Churches

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There are many medieval, a few as old as the eighth century,basilica-form churches with richly arcaded façades and campaniles

  • Duomo di San Martino:St Martin's Cathedral
  • San Michele in Foro:Romanesque church
  • San Giusto:Romanesque church
  • Basilica di San Frediano
  • SanSan Romano, Luccat'Alessandro[36]an example of medievalclassicism
  • Santa Giulia:Lombardchurch rebuilt in thirteenth century
  • San Michele:church at Antraccoli, founded in 777, it was enlarged and rebuilt in the twelfth century with the introduction of a sixteenth-century portico
  • San Giorgiochurch in the locality of Brancoli, built in the late twelfth century has a bell tower in Lombard-Romanesque style, the interior houses a massiveambo(1194) with four columns mounted on lion sculptures, a highly decorated Romanesque octagonal baptismal fount, and the altar is supported by six small columns with human figures
  • San Lorenzo di Moriano,a 12th century Romanesque style parish church
  • San Romano,erected by the Dominican order in the second half of the 13th century, is today a deconsecrated Roman Catholic Church located on Piazza San Romano in the center of Lucca

Museums

[edit]

Education

[edit]

Since 2005, Lucca hostsIMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca,a selective graduate and doctoral school which is part of theItalian superior graduate school system.Its main educational facilities are located at theSan Francesco Convent Complex and Campus,and the formerRenaissance-styleRoman Catholicchurch ofSan Ponzianonow hosts the university library.

Sports

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Association footballarrived in Lucca in 1905 and has its roots inBrazil,thanks to a number of fans that helped found the club who had learned the game in Brazil. TheLucchese 1905,or simply Lucchese, play inSerie C,the third tier ofItalian football,having last been in top tierSerie Ain 1952. The club plays their home games atStadio Porta Elisa,just outside the northeast wall of the city.[37][38]

Transportation

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Buses

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Consorzio Lucchese Autotrasporti Pubblici,also known asCLAP,was established in 1969, as the main company in theProvince of Luccato manage the local public transport. In 2005, following the decision of theRegionto assign the local public transport to a single operator for each of the 14 lots constituted, CLAP merged with the companiesLazziandC.LU.B.Scpa to form the consortiumVaiBuswhich was absorbed by the newly formed companyCTT Nordin 2012. VaiBus was part ofONE Scarlthe consortium holder of the two-year (2018-2019) contract for the management of theTPLthroughout the Region.[39]

Since 1 November 2021 the public local transport is managed byAutolinee Toscane.[40]

Notable people

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Piazza dell'Anfiteatro

Sister cities

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See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Lucca istwinnedwith:[43][44]

See also

[edit]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^"Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011".Italian National Institute of Statistics.Retrieved16 March2019.
  2. ^Population data fromIstat
  3. ^"Popolazione Lucca (2001-2020) Grafici su dati ISTAT".Tuttitalia.it(in Italian).Retrieved7 January2022.
  4. ^"Provincia di Lucca (LU)".Tuttitalia.it(in Italian).Retrieved7 January2022.
  5. ^Magrini, Graziano."The Walls of Lucca".Scientific Itineraries of Tuscany.Museo Galileo.Retrieved25 March2013.
  6. ^Donadio, Rachel (13 March 2009)."A Walled City in Tuscany Clings to Its Ancient Menu".March 12, 2009.New York Times.Retrieved25 March2013.
  7. ^"Roman amphitheatre in Lucca | Visit Tuscany".visittuscany.Retrieved7 January2022.
  8. ^"20 Bellissime Città d'Arte in Italia".Skyscanner Italia(in Italian). 16 April 2016.Retrieved7 January2022.
  9. ^"Cathedral of San Martino in Lucca".
  10. ^Joe."9 Facts About Lucca |".Retrieved7 January2022.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^Rossebastiano, Alda.Dizionario di toponomastica(in Italian). p. 427.
  12. ^Treccani, Giovanni.Enciclopedia Italiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti(in Italian). Treccani. p. 560.
  13. ^"Roman Lucca | Turismo Lucca".turismo.lucca.it.Retrieved12 January2022.
  14. ^abHaegen, Anne Mueller von der; Strasser, Ruth F. (2013). "Lucca".Art & Architecture: Tuscany.Potsdam: H.F.Ullmann Publishing. p. 57.ISBN978-3-8480-0321-1.
  15. ^Boatwright, Mary et al.The Romans: From Village to Empire,pg 229.
  16. ^See article on theBasilica di San Frediano.
  17. ^Mancini, Augusto (1999).Storia di Lucca(in Italian). Pacini Fazzi. p. 23.ISBN8872463432.
  18. ^Lucca,retrieved28 January2022
  19. ^Stopani, Renato (1991).Le vie di pellegrinaggio del Medioevo(in Italian). Le Lettere. p. 61.ISBN887166048X.
  20. ^Harmuth, Louis (1915).Dictionary of textiles.University of California Libraries. New York, Fairchild publishing company. p. 94.
  21. ^Sarkar, Ajoy K.; Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (4 November 2021).The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles.Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 283.ISBN978-1-5013-6508-9.
  22. ^"ALESSANDRO II, papa in" Dizionario Biografico "".treccani.it(in Italian).Retrieved9 January2022.
  23. ^"ANSELMO da Lucca in" Enciclopedia Italiana "".treccani.it(in Italian).Retrieved9 January2022.
  24. ^"ALLUCINGOLI, Gerardo in" Dizionario Biografico "".treccani.it(in Italian).Retrieved11 January2022.
  25. ^"Chiesa della Natività di Maria Santissima (Pontetetto) – Arcidiocesi di Lucca"(in Italian). Archived fromthe originalon 11 January 2022.Retrieved11 January2022.
  26. ^"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope Gregory XII".newadvent.org.Retrieved9 January2022.
  27. ^Encyclopædia Britannica(1911)
  28. ^abAngelini, Silvia Q. (2018)."Colle di Compecito".In Megargee, G.P.; White, J.R. (eds.).The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933–1945, Volume III: Camps and Ghettos under European Regimes Aligned with Nazi Germany.Indiana University Press. p. 421.ISBN978-0-253-02386-5.Retrieved26 May2020.
  29. ^"Ill-treatment of prisoners of war at Camp PG 60, Lucca, Italy, July to November 1942".The National Archives.18 December 2008.Retrieved26 May2020.
  30. ^"IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca - Scuola di Dottorato IMT Alti Studi di Lucca".Imtlucca.it. 29 September 2011.Retrieved10 October2011.
  31. ^"Lucca Film Festival".Archived fromthe originalon 13 March 2012.Retrieved3 February2011.
  32. ^"Lucca Digital Photo Fest".Archived fromthe originalon 5 March 2016.Retrieved3 February2011.
  33. ^"Lucca Jazz Donna".
  34. ^"Lucca Classica Music Festival | La grande musica è qui"(in Italian).Retrieved26 April2024.
  35. ^"Lucca Biennale - Cartasia | Turismo Lucca".turismo.lucca.it.Retrieved23 May2022.[permanent dead link]
  36. ^"Church of Sant'Alessandro Maggiore | Lucca".Tuscanypass. 16 December 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 23 January 2013.Retrieved26 March2013.
  37. ^"History of the Lucchese 1905".lucchese1905.it.
  38. ^"Stadium of the Lucchese 1905".lucchese1905.it.6 July 2017.
  39. ^"Lucca CTT Soluzione per la mobilità".CTT Nord. Archived fromthe originalon 23 May 2022.Retrieved30 May2022.
  40. ^"Guida al primo giorno di servizio".Autolinee Toscane.Retrieved4 June2022.
  41. ^"About"Archived2010-02-11 at theWayback MachineSimoneBianchi, retrieved March 25, 2012
  42. ^The Quarterly Review,vol. 139Google Books
  43. ^"Lucca e i gemellaggi".comune.lucca.it(in Italian). Lucca. Archived fromthe originalon 16 December 2019.Retrieved16 December2019.
  44. ^"Ystävyyskaupungit".hameenlinna.fi(in Finnish). Hämeenlinna.Retrieved16 December2019.

Bibliography

[edit]
See also:Bibliography of the history of Lucca
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toLucca.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forLucca.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lucca&oldid=1233485865"