Lord's City, Treasure Town Luca
The city of lords, the treasure town of Lucca
The history of Lucca dates back to 180 BC, founded by the Etruscan Etruscans, today Lucca, although just a small city, was once also an independent republic for over five hundred years! As early as the 12th century, Lucca became an autonomous city-state due to the developed silk trade, and established an independent republic in 1314!
The Walls of Lucca (Fig. 15).
It is the grandest city wall in Italy! Built in the 16th century, it took 150 years to build the city wall is 12 meters high, 4.2 kilometers long, and 10 spade-shaped fortresses. What's more special is that the city wall is full of trees, which is like a forested avenue!
The Tower of Guineve (Fig. 1-5).
There are actually seven oak trees planted on the 45-meter-high Torre Guinigi tower, and the oak tree represents power, the owner of the tower, Paolo Guinigi, who ruled Lucca for thirty years, it is said that after his death, the leaves on the tree fell off.
Climb the Torre Guinigi tower and you can overlook the entire city of Lucca. The layers of red roofs are scattered high and low, and the ancient houses and simple countryside blend into one. It feels like the best state of human civilization and natural heaven and earth!
Lucca Cathedral (Figure 6-11).
It was built in the 8th century and expanded in the 11th century under the auspices of Bishop Anselmo de Baggio...
The exterior facade is typical of Toscana characteristic Romanesque architecture, exquisite lace-like three-story arcade, neat, harmonious and graceful, and a closer look at each column and carefully decorated in color and carving, each one is different! Compared to the "magnificence" of Modena Cathedral and the "sublime" closer to later Gothic, the "elegantness" of Lucca Cathedral is closer to the later Renaissance style!
The porch reliefs are also wonderful, with San Martino's life and the zodiac on both sides of the door, and a row of holy apostles on the lintel, the relief on the left door arch is the scene of the birth and crucifixion of Christ...
The interior of the church was rebuilt in the 14th-15th centuries, the arcade decoration on the two side corridors has shown a very delicate Gothic style, coupled with the light change of stained glass, gradually become light and transparent
The Volto Santo Jesus Crucifixion wood sculpture in the church's collection is from the 8th-9th centuries, said to be the object of pilgrimage, although the posture is a bit stiff, but the face exudes a mysterious sorrow...
The fresco on the top of the semicircular arch of the altar is the "Trinity Surrounded by Saints" painted by Giovanni Coli and Filippo Gherardi in 1678, typical of the Renaissance style...
There is a beautiful sculpture in the small hall next to it! A marble mausoleum carved by Siena master Jacppo delle Quercia in 1407 for Ilaria del Carretto, wife of Paolo Guinigi, the owner of the tree-planted tower! This beautiful lady was only 24 years old when she died, and the entire sculpture still exudes lifelike skin shine and elegant temperament, it feels like she is just sleeping!
Palace of Mansi (Figs. 16-17).
A property purchased by the Mansi family in 1616, the luxurious Baroque decor once again proves the former glory of Lucca City...
The Palace's most luxurious music hall, the Music Hall, was designed for the wedding of Carlo Mansi and Eleonora Pepoli in 1689. It features wet murals drawn by Gian Gioseffo del Sole...
The splendid neoclassical style bedroom was used for weddings that year...
The several rooms next to it are covered with ornate Flemish tapestries and curtains, which are truly luxurious to the naked eye...
The Hall of Mirrors is a neoclassical theme style from the early 18th century...
Puccini House (Figure 18-19)
"A sunny day" in "Madame Butterfly", "No one sleeps tonight" in "Turandot", "Starlight" in "Tosca", "Cold little hands" in "La Bohème"... the great opera composer Pucci ni’s former residence, where she once lived, pianos, manuscripts, photographs, medallions, full of memories…and the costumes of Turandot’s 1926 premiere at the Metropolitan Opera in New York were truly the most meaningful artifacts in the show!
Ancient Roman Amphitheater Square (Fig. 20)
Built on an ancient Roman amphitheater, the houses in the square are still built in the shape of an amphitheater. The square is full of restaurants, and on the path into the square there is a Gelato founded in 1927, delicious!