Our day in Lucca, The City of 100 Churches, was superb.
Lucca, on the River Serchio, in Tuscany, is known for its well preserved city walls, its cobbled streets, its tree lined walk and cycleways and it was the birthplace of Puccini the composer.
The ship docked at Livorno so we got the train to Lucca.
We felt quite smug as the cruise ship was only doing trips to Florence.
We passed through Pisa.
Look carefully!
Our fleeting glimpse of the leaning tower!
I'd better be more prepared on the way back haha.
The charming city walls of Lucca measure 4.2k and are now used as a walk, run and cycle circuit.
Each of the main sides is lined with a different species of tree which we would be able to see from the tops of all the towers we climbed that day with our #goodlegsgoodlegs
We entered the city through the walls and immediately saw the impressive Cathedral but it had a service in progress so we couldn't go in till later.
We had done our research (we=Husb)
and had picked up a map (me)
but we still very nearly walked straight past the Guinigi Tower.
We were looking for a building with trees on top.
"It's up there!"
Look how close together the buildings are.
Torre Guinigi
was built in the 1300s when wealthy families were building towers as status symbols.
It is 45m high with 232 steps up to the rooftop garden.
The Guinigi family created the garden with its famous holm oak trees (above their kitchen on the floor below) as a symbol of the town's rebirth while under their control
and we were SO GOING UP IT.
Yes there were trees on top, but the views!
Looking out over Lucca was stunning and we could clearly see the tree lined city walls.
At one point there were over 200 towers in Lucca (before the families all started falling out and pulling each others towers down,) the skyline looked more like a forest than a city, but there are only a few remaining today.
Why do you ask?
Of course I did a plank at the top.
Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
The Roman Amphitheatre no longer exists but the piazza has retained its oval shape with loads of eateries and shops looking on to the centre where in the summer, events, concerts and festivals take place.
There was a sculpture by Andrea Roggi (a Tuscan born artist) in the square when we visited, called Terra Mater (Earth and Heaven) which is one of his The Circle of Life collection, dotted around the city.
So I was a tree.
"Love and creativeness make the world go round"
San Francesco
didn't look much from the outside but it had some beautiful stained glass inside and the cloisters were really peaceful and calm. Nice loos too.
It was formally a Roman Catholic church and monastery but has since been renovated and is now a graduate school called the IMT School for Advanced Studies.
The gold leaf of San Frediano shone in the sun.
Chiesa Salvatore.
(Walked past it!)
The Church of San Michele.
A stunning basilica.
It is dedicated to Archangel Michael.
So I planked with him(Archangel Michael) and then we went inside and
SAW A SAINT!
Saint Davino
According to the few resources available, Davino was born in Armenia around the year 1000.
He soon realised the futility of worldly goods so left all his belongings to the poor and began a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Rome and Compostela, before finishing his journey in Lucca in 1050.
When he died in June of that year he was buried in a clay ark in the cemetery of St Michele.
His saintliness was revealed by various signs including the appearance of incensing angels (?) and after some miraculous healings his relics were moved into a richly adorned tomb and placed on the high altar in 1593
Torre delle Ore
The towers of Lucca were originally built for defensive purposes but were later used as housing for rich families but as time went on they became a symbol of power and wealth.
The higher the tower, the greater the power.
During the 1300s many towers were pulled down as a result of interfamily hatred.
In 1320 Castracani (vicar of Lucca) ordered the demolition of towers of rival families but one tower that escaped this fate was
Torre delle Ore "The Tower of Hours"
This was due to
1. Its strength, it was solidly built,
2. Its position in town, it was well sheltered by the buildings and not weather worn like other towers,
and because of this it was decided to install a town clock,
adding to its longevity
and we were soooooo going up it.
#goodlegsgoodlegs
The views were amazing, especially of Torre Guinigi with its trees on top.
The Clock Tower is Lucca's tallest existing tower within the walls.
 |
| Cathedral |
We had planned our day well.
There would be time for a BIKE RIDE woohoo!
So we hired bikes and rode the 4.2k around the city walls, earning our ice cream at the finish.
#goodlegsgoodlegs
There were several Andrea Roggi exhibits en route and it was just fabulous.
Then on the way back to the station we nipped into the cathedral as it was by the entrance to the walls.
St Martin's Cathedral
was founded by Bishop Frediano in the 6th century.
It has the floor plan of a latin cross with 3 naives and a transept, huge pillars and mullioned windows.
And there's no need to go to Pisa now as I had my camera ready for when the train flew past the Leaning Tower!!! WoopWoop!
A FAB, FAB, FAB DAY
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