We had spent a stimulating week in Florence last Spring (2004) and then several days in the Cinque Terre, on the Ligurian coast. Now, on the way back, my wife and I were stopping at Lucca for the weekend, to explore that intriguing city which once had been the capital of Tuscany but which had been left behind by the events of history.                                                   

The train station is conveniently situated just outside the massive city wall, near the Porta San Pietro (St. Peter’s Gate), one of several entrances to the old town. Shouldering our backpacks, we made our way along narrow streets and across broad squares to our destination, the Ostello San Frediano, where we had reserved accommodation.

The hostel is located in a converted college building adjacent to the 12^th century Church of San Frediano. The modern elevator to our upper floor was a welcome convenience for these weary travelers, and our private room (one of several in the hostel) even had an en suite bath.

Just a short distance away is the site of the old Roman amphitheatre, and a few stone arches remain to serve as reminders of that era. The site now holds the municipal market place, ringed with shops, and we enjoyed an evening meal of typical Tuscan fare at one of the outside tables.  

Unlike the hill towns which are such a feature of other parts of Tuscany, Lucca lies in a fertile river valley, and over the centuries it was obliged to rely for its defence on a succession of walls surrounding the city. With the advent of cannon the old medieval wall was rebuilt in the 16th century to a thickness of 100 feet, faced with brick, with eleven bastions protruding at intervals along its two-and-a-half mile perimeter. With the unification of Italy in the 19^th century, there was no further need for protection from rival city-states or foreign invaders, and the bastions were transformed into parkland for the pleasure of the citizenry. We quickly adopted the custom of present-day Lucchese (as the inhabitants of the city are called) to leisurely stroll atop the ramparts enjoying the views of both the inner city and the countryside beyond.

[Note: Lucca is one of the few Tuscan towns to retain its original urban structure. The ancient center was enclosed and protected by the Roman walls. Lucca developed within them until the end of the 19th century, creating an interesting superimposition of historical styles.

Today the walls play an important part in town life, shielding the streets of the center from traffic and creating a ring of green around them. Lucca has developed into a modern city, at the same time retaining the characteristics of a little country town where ancient and modern coexist. Lucca's location is ideal; it is only 30 minutes from Pisa and the Mediterranean and 1 hour from Florence.]

 

Lucca’s fortifications enabled it to remain independent for long periods of its history, and this, together with the rich agricultural land of the region, gave rise to a wealthy local economy. In the Middle Ages this was based primarily on the silk industry, which employed over 25,000 people in its heyday. The skyline of the city was dominated by some 160 towers, and within the city walls there were 70 churches, the majority of which date back to the 12th century.

The towers, several of which survive to this day, served as the residences of the merchant class. Due to considerations of space, they consisted of single rooms stacked one above another, to a height of five stories or more. A shop would be on the ground floor, then several levels of living quarters, with the kitchen on the top floor. On the roof there was usually a vegetable garden, and trees to provide shade from the hot Tuscan sun.

One of such towers (the Torre Guinigi) has been refurbished for the tourist trade, with a bar on the roof garden, but we couldn’t face the prospect of climbing 227 steps – not even for the view.

The nobility of the city-state enjoyed more spacious accommodations and their residences, many of them architecturally designed, now house the civic administration, museums and art galleries. Seated before one of these fine buildings on Sunday morning was a modern troubadour, and we stopped to listen to his soulful singing as he accompanied himself on the guitar.  

In the center of the city, on the site of the old Roman forum, is the Piazza San Michele, a large square over which towers the Romanesque facade of the Church of San Michele. At the very top of it stands Michael the Archangel, poised to take flight. Behind the facade is a set of stairs up which, in earlier times, church officials would climb and, pulling strings, would cause St. Michael’s wings to flap, much to the amazement of the awestruck populace below. Alas, St Michael did not oblige us.

In a more modest square, just a block or two away, stands the statue of Giacomo Puccini, perhaps the most famous of Lucca’s native sons. The house where he was born overlooks the square and is now a small museum. On one occasion we overheard a tour guide addressing a group which had gathered around Puccini’s statue. Their interest must have been flagging because the guide chose to focus her remarks not on Puccini’s genius as an operatic composer but, rather, on his numerous romantic exploits.

   
Lucca, which has a present population roughly equivalent to that of Kelowna, is easily accessible from Florence by both road and rail, taking about one-and-a-half hours of travelling time. It is but little changed since Puccini’s time, and to get a feel for the environment in which he spent his formative years, Lucca is certainly worth a visit. We found the travel guide by Rick Steves entitled “Italy 2004” to be an excellent source of information, greatly enhancing our appreciation of this fascinating city.

The foregoing comments are a slightly modified version of some introductory remarks made in one of the 2005 SLR Winter sessions of David Madison’s popular "Music at the Dorchester” series. I wish to thank Rick Burke, our SLR Webmaster, for his assistance in putting this material into a suitable format for publication in the Travel Corner.

Bill Nykyforuk.