Lucca – ALL I NEED IS MY PASSPORT

The Mura di Lucca and More

Italy, Lucca

Nov 172022

November 2022

The walls of Lucca (Mura di Lucca) are a series of stone, brick, and earthwork fortifications that are among the best-preserved Renaissance fortifications in Europe.

The Walls of Lucca

The construction of the current walls of Lucca, which replaced earlier medieval and Roman fortifications, began on May 7, 1504, and ended a century and a half later in 1648, with additional structural updates in the second half of the seventeenth century as better construction techniques were learned.

Architecturally, the walls are composed of twelve curtains in the embankment, interspersed with eleven bulwarks with brick ornament, forty feet high and as much as 100 feet wide in places. They run for approximately three miles.

A stroll atop the wall will take you all around the city with views into every neighborhood.

In the 19th century, Duchess Maria Luisa of Bourbon commissioned the royal architect Lorenzo Nottolini to turn the walls into a walkway and at that time added the trees.

You can also walk inside the walls of the Bastions. This is the Bastion of San Paolino.

One of the main features of the wall is the passages and tunnels throughout the structure. For defensive purposes, Lucca could move men, cannons, munitions, and food secretly. There are cannon batteries, gun/arrow, and guard stations so no troops would be detected above.

Had I remained underground and walked to the next bulwark I would have been confronted with this gate at the San Marina Bulwark

Porta San Pietro

To enter the city one must pass through one of the Portas. There are three originals still used and 2 newer ones.

Torre Guinigi

Torre Guinigi from a distance

There once were approximately 130 medieval towers in the city of Lucca, today the Torre Guinigi and Torre Delle Ore, are all that are left in their original state.

The tower was commissioned by the Guinigi banking family, wealthy merchants of the 14th century. Paolo Guinigi was lord of Lucca from 1400 to 1430. In building the tower he wanted to refine the family’s residence with a tree-lined tower visible from every angle and perspective, and also to show power.

A typical example of Lucchese Romanesque-Gothic architecture, the tower is built of stone and brick. But what really makes the tower unique is the garden at the top. No one knows exactly when it was created but an image in the Chronicles of Giovanni Sercambi (15th century) shows one of Lucca’s towers crowned with trees. This may not have been the only tower with trees atop. The law stipulated that no tower could be taller than the city tower, how else can one top the city tower than to do so with trees rather than bricks?

If you are willing to brave the 25 flights (230 steps) to reach the top, the views are wonderful.

Views from Torre Guinigi

Church Lions

I am sure I have noticed and photographed lions outside of churches around the world, but in Lucca, I truly began to see them.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, many church entrances featured a variety of scary beasts, often exotic or imaginary and sometimes mixed with human figures. Some scholars say they are “purely decorative,” while others argue that they serve two purposes. The first symbolizes the martyrs’ entrance into Heaven. The second are signs “that we must turn our backs on…all worldly cares and employments if we would enter into the kingdom of God.”

Sometimes in scripture, a lion represents Christ, But in other scriptures, it is interpreted that the lion represents the enemy that Christ will vanquish.

Whatever the purpose, I will probably now begin to see them in a whole new light.

Dante and Lucca

In the Divine Comedy, Dante refers to the Tuscans from Lucca, with the exception of a few characters, as a bad examples, such as flatterers, barterers, and gluttons.

He does however mention the city in a good light when discussing the miraculous Volto Santo (verse 48 of canto XXI of the Inferno, first canto of the Divine Comedy) and Santa Zita (Inferno, XXI, 37-42).

Zita served as a maid to the Fatinelli family and was appreciated by poor people for her generosity and by the family for her dedication to work.

It is said that another maid of the Fatinellis insinuated that Zita was a thief. One day Fatinelli met her on the stairs as she was on her way to a needy family, and asked her what she had in the apron that was so full she could barely hold it with her hands. Although it was full of bread, Zita was frightened and replied that it was full of flowers for the Madonna, and when she opened her apron, flowers and leaves fell from it for real.

At the moment of writing the Divine Comedy, Zita was already dead (1278), but she had not been canonized yet.

In 1580, Saint Zita’s body was exhumed and found to be incorruptible, and her body was put on display in a silver casket, as is tradition, in the Basilica di San Frediano, the church where she had prayed while alive. She was canonized in 1696.

The Basilica di San Frediano

The Basilica di San Frediano is the oldest place of worship in Lucca. It is said that Saint Fridianus, bishop of the city from 560 to 588, founded the church. It was mentioned for the first time in a document from the year 685 as a Lombard-era basilica.

The large Romanesque-style mosaic on its façade dates to the end of the 13th century and is extremely rare. In Tuscany, the only other façade decorated like this is on the Church of San Miniato al Monte in Florence.

Sunset from my window on my first evening in Lucca

San Michele in Foro and San Martino – Lucca

Italy, Lucca

Nov 172022

November 2022

San Michele in Foro is a Roman Catholic basilica built over an ancient Roman forum, dedicated to Archangel Michael.

The church is mentioned for the first time in 795 as ad foro (in the forum). The church was rebuilt in 1070 under the orders of Alexander Pope II.

What takes one’s breath away before ever entering the church is the facade. The facade dates from the 13th century with alterations done sometime in the 19th century.

Little is actually known of the iconography and sculptures of the facade.

The spandrels of the arcades are decorated in a profusion of ornamentation with geometrical and figured inlay motifs that appear to relate to patterns of eastern origin that were used in the famous silks of Lucca.

Lucca produced magnificent silk fabrics in the 8th century CE. This city became very prosperous through its trade in silk fabrics during the Middle Ages and was well-known for its merchants and luxury artisans.

Lucca specialized in high-quality silk fabrics such as drappi auroserici (fabrics made of a mixture of silk with gold or silver threads). The motifs used in their fabric design expanded from the 12th to the end of the 14th century, incorporating Muslim, Byzantine, and even Chinese motifs.

From 1375 a more specific Italian style that featured Italian flowers, vine leaves, and naturalist themes appeared. These included a myriad of animals, as well as romanesque scenes, and hunting scenes.

The church was restored in 1866 with a pretty heavy hand. The columns were replaced and some of the heads were replaced with portraits of contemporary characters such as Garibaldi, Pius IX, and Cavour.

Certain columns are inlaid in a manner that also reflects an Eastern influence other columns are sculpted in what appears to be a Lombardesque style.

On the summit, flanked by two other angels is a statue of Saint Michael the Archangel.

Saint Michael flanked by two angels

More interestingly carved columns

The front entryway has a sculpted architrave resting on pinned capitals decorated in Corinthian style.

On the architrave is a carving teeming with real and imaginary creatures and in the center, you can see Saint Michael slaying the dragon with a spear.

The eight-wheel rose window is also important. It is not in keeping with the times and adds to the notion that the facade was done over many eras.

On the south side, medieval graffiti of ships and cities of the East testify to the use of the square as a market.

Graffiti on the columns inside San Michele in Foro

Should this not be enough the interior contains the Pala Magrini a 1483 painting by Italian artist Filippino Lippi.

Pala Magrini by Lippi found in San Michele in Foro

The painting was done while Lippi was an apprentice in Sandro Botticelli’s workshop, it shows Saint Rocco, Saint Sebastian, Saint Jerome, and Saint Helena the Empress.

The paintings’ bright colors are a tribute to the quality of doing work in Tempera. Tempera is an ancient medium, having been in constant use in most of the world until it was gradually superseded by oil paints during the Renaissance.

True tempera is made by mixture with the yolk of fresh eggs, although manuscript illuminators often used egg white and some easel painters added the whole egg.

As I mentioned the columns were altered in the 1860s. Here is a diagram of who is who on the church today.

San Martino

There is another, lesser-known church in Lucca that is in the same style and of the same period as San Michele and that is San Martino.

The facade of the San Martino is a version of the more complex San Michele facade, with evident asymmetries, and a contrast of full and empty spaces.

Consecrated in 1070 by Pope Alexander II, formerly the Bishop of Lucca, the exterior was further ornamented in the 1200s and is what you see today. The interior of the Duomo is heavy with Late Gothic influence and decorated in the style of the 14th and 15th centuries.

The interior of San Martino is far more decorated and elegant than San Michele

In San Martino, one can find the Last Supper of Christ painted by the famous Venetian painter Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto. This was his last work, and he was aided by his son Domenico. The painting is dated 1594, the year of his death. – (Sadly it is horribly lit)

Columns on the exterior of San Martino

Ornamentation on the exterior of San Martino showing the cross of the Crusades

The idea behind the maze was that the faithful must rely on God to lead them out.

Ornamentation on the exterior of San Martino

There are over 100 churches in Lucca. Many are no longer in use or have been repurposed for one use or another, these are two of the more spectacular architecturally.

Walking Around Lucca

Italy, Lucca

Nov 172022

November 2022

At one time Lucca had as many as 30,000 people living in its downtown behind the walls, once cars were banned that population dropped precipitously. It is growing back but is still nowhere near its original numbers.

Lucca has always been a wealthy area, as has all of Florence. During the early 20s, it experienced an era of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, as did so many European cities of the time. There are vestiges of this era that can still be found on many of the storefronts. The storefronts are protected by the government, but sadly their history is lost.

Di Simo Cafe

This very old café was originally known as the Antico Café del Caselli. Later on, it was renamed Cafè Di Simo It was frequented by Giacomo Puccini and many other foreign artists. It closed 15 years ago due to the high rents in the area.

The Galliani store dates back to the early 1900s and retains all of its aesthetic and architectural character from those years.

The figures of this store were especially unique and charming

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An alley full of Art Deco ornamentation

Remnants of the original Roman Amphitheater

What grew atop the original Roman Amphitheater

The Lucca Anfiteatro was once a Roman amphitheater with about 10,000 seats. In Roman times the amphitheater was used for performances, such as gladiator fights and chariot races. Later, the arena served as the city’s warehouse for salt, and even as a prison. It did then, and sometimes does now, serves as a marketplace.

The present Piazza dell’Anfiteatro maintained the original old oval shape from the 2nd century CE. In the middle ages, houses were built over the amphitheater.

Ironwork to remind you that this once was a medieval city

Luigi Boccherini was born in Lucca.

Sitting in front of the Music Academy is this statue of Luigi Boccherini. He wrote a large amount of chamber music, including over one hundred string quintets for two violins, viola, and two cellos, a dozen guitar quintets, nearly a hundred string quartets, and a number of string trios and sonatas. His orchestral music includes around 30 symphonies and 12 virtuoso cello concertos. And yet, I bet you have never even heard of him.

Giacomo Puccini

Of course, everyone knows Lucca-born Giacomo Puccini, and signs of his operas are all over Lucca in the names of bars and restaurants as well as walls and roll-up doors.

The two levers on the bottom left of this fun door are actually doorbells.

The crest over the door of the Palazzo Bernardini

The Palazzo Bernardini was erected starting in 1512 for the Marchese Bernardini by the 16th-century architect Nicolao Civitali. Among the curiosity of the palace is the upward curving stone on the ground floor facade above the third window from the left. Legend has it that the stone is the pietra del diavolo (Devil’s stone). It is said that this spot once held a wall with a painted icon of the Virgin Mary, and when the Bernardini built the house in its place the devil had his say.

Years, loves, and glasses of wine are things you should never count

Bagni di Lucca

Italy, Lucca

Nov 172022

November, 2022

Bagni di Lucca is a respite and a divine little spot to unwind. The area has been known for its thermal springs since the Etruscan and Roman Times. It was first mentiond in an official document of 983 AD as “Corsena”, with reference to a donation by the Bishop Teudogrimo of the territory of Bagni di Lucca to Fraolmo of Corvaresi.

Looking down the Lima River from the Ponte de Serraglio in the center of Bagni di Lucca

The Roman poet Virgil wrote that the area was rich in chestnut forests as it still is today.

San Cassiano

The pieve (rural parish church) of San Cassiano was built before 722. It has the painting St. Martin Riding by Jacopo della Quercia and others from the Renaissance. Sadly, it was closed up tight so I could not see the paintings.

Pieve of San Cassiano

The majority of scholars believe that the church we see today dates between the end of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth century.

Islamic basin inserted into the facade of Pieve of San Cassiano.

Scholars use this ceramic basin inserted in the facade to help date the building. Due to others like this found in the Pisana and Lucchese areas, it is thought to come from the 11th or 12th century and is from an Islamic country.

Above the portal are three human figures. According to scholars, the theme would be taken from Exodus 17.8-16.

Interesting ornamentation on the side of the Pieve of San Cassiano.

Lucchio

When driving to Bagni di Lucca this town popped into view for just a few minutes, it appeared abandoned and the first thing I wondered is why is it there and more importantly how?

The next day we went searching for the town of Lucchio which sits just about 1/2 mile above sea level. The road to get there is hair raising and yet the ride is absolutely beautiful. I drove the entire thing at no more than 10 miles an hour. While the road is one-way I was told the town was deserted so I did not expect any traffic and did not encounter any.

However, when we got to the top, the town is not abandoned and a tooting horn arrived announcing the bread delivery. I was so glad I had been misinformed, as I know it would have been white-knuckle driving if I thought I might encounter another car on a road with steep banks, no turnouts, and very little way to see around every hairpin corner.

Looking out from the main street of Lucchio Alto

It is an ancient legend that Lucchio is so steeply sloping that it is said that farmers tied baskets on the back of their hens to keep the eggs from falling into the void.

An ancient well of Lucchio.

Ponte della Maddalena

Ponte della Maddalena crosses the Serchio river near the town of Borgo a Mozzano in the province of Lucca.

There is little historical information about the building of the bridge. Nicolau Tegrimi, in his biography of Castruccio Castracani, attributes the bridge to Countess Matilde di Canossa of Florence (1046-1125) and mentions a restoration made by Castruccio Castracani (1281-1328.) According to the hypothesis of Massimo Betti, during the Castruccio government, the minor arches were constructed in stone, replacing the previous structure in wood. This would explain the difference between the major arch and the minor ones. The bridge is also described in a 14th-century novella by Giovanni Sercambi of Lucca.

The bridge is a remarkable example of medieval engineering, and while built in the typical medieval hunchback form it is unique in that its arches are asymmetrical and the height of the center one defies gravity.

Sometime around 1500, the bridge took on the name of Ponte della Maddalena, from an oratory dedicated to Mary Magdalene, whose statue stood at the foot of the bridge on the eastern bank.

In 1670 the General Council of the Republic of Lucca issued a decree prohibiting passage over the bridge with millstones and sacks of flour in order to preserve the structure. Having walked to the top of the arch I can assure you it is steep with very uneven large stones as paving, I commented I would not have wanted to do it with a cart or even a shod horse, so I have no idea how people crossed with millstones.

The profile must have been even more impressive before a dam was built, in the years after the Second World War.

The bridge is also called the Devil’s Bridge. According to legend when the master builder realized he could not possibly complete this complex bridge by the proposed deadline, the Devil appeared to him offering a bargain: its completion in exchange for the soul of the first one who would cross it. The man accepted and that night the Devil lifted the bridge span with his pitchfork. Full of regret, however, the master builder confessed what he had done to a local priest, who proposed that a pig, not a man, be the first to cross over. When this was done, the Devil appeared once again, but – realizing he had been fooled – he threw himself off the bridge into the river and disappeared forever from this land.

The bridge was very near the Gothic Line during World War II. Apparently, the Nazis had decided to mine the Bridge but did not destroy it, for reasons unknown. Most likely because it was of absolutely no military use due to its narrowness.

The Gothic Line was a German defensive line during the Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed a line of defense along the summits of the northern part of the Apennine Mountains.

The Gothic Line in Borgo a Mozzano

Using more than 15,000 slave laborers, the Germans created more than 2,000 well-fortified machine gun nests, casemates, bunkers, observation posts, and artillery fighting positions to repel any attempt to breach the Gothic Line

Entry to a bunker on the Gothic Line

We were trying to find the gothic line and stopped at a map along the road near a hot dog stand. As we were trying to suss out the location on a map a volunteer stopped by, he helps maintain the line and educate people about what happened there so long ago. We were honored to have him take us into the bunker. He explained that over the years these were filled with trash and many people had hoped to forget all about them. A volunteer organization was formed in the 1990s to make sure that what happened in this part of Italy was not forgotten.

Inside a bunker on the Gothic Line

During the Italian Social Republic (a puppet state of Germany which existed from September 1943 until May 1945) a concentration camp for Jews was set up in Bagni di Lucca, where both Italian and foreign Jews were interned from December 1943 to January 1944. More than 100 people were interned in squalid conditions in the Hotel Le Terme far up in the hills. Some managed to escape, but most were sent to Auschwitz on January 30th, 1944.