Tuscany: Lucca & Pietrasanta

Hotels Restaurants Sights Shopping

Lucca is a beautiful (and do-able) town well worth visiting. Of course, I head right to the medieval center encircled by ancient walls (40 feet high and 2 _ miles long!). The town has a rich history and the architecture to prove it! First stop, Piazza San Martino and the fabulous 13^th century Cattedrale Di San Martino. The outside of the duomo is characterized by green and white stripes, loggias, carvings and columns (walk completely around the building to get a good look at the carvings among other things). Inside you’ll find a painting by Ghirlandaio/The Madonna and Saints, Jacopo Della Quercia’s marble sculpture (sarcophagus) of Ilaria Del Carretto (a masterpiece), Tintoretto’s Last Supper and a red and whiteTempietto that holds the Volto Santo (an honored, treasured and revered holy relic — a carving of Jesus thought to have been done by Nicodemus). There are so many lovely and treasured works of art throughout this cathedral — take the time to explore. The bell tower/campanile (11^th century) was in existence when the cathedral was being built — thus the difference in style (and my first response upon seeing it: "that doesn’t match so well"). The Museo Dell’Opera Del Duomo is a museum with treasures from the duomo (San Martino). This is an interesting museum and worth the time. The Museo Nazionale Di Villa Guinigi is a Renaissance villa, now a museum with a varied collection of paintings, archaeology and sculptures. The Torre Guinigi is a tall tower with a small forest of oaks on the top! Serendipity lives! The Piazza Del Anfiteatro is of interest as you can see the oulines of a stadium (Roman of course) along the perimeter of the piazza — note the arches around the piazza, these were the entrypoints for gladiators. The ramparts today can be walked and enjoyed — like a park (do this — it’s a great way to relax and learn). They were built in the 16^th century as defense yet never had to be used in that fashion. You get some terrific views of the town and its layout from here. San Frediano (13^th century) is a pretty (and colorful) church with a mosaic on the front. Do see the frescoes in the chapel and the baptismal font (Romanesque) with carvings of Christ’s life (Moses life too). San Michele in Foro is another must see church built in the 11^th century and beyond. The church was built on a Roman Forum. The capitals/columns on the exterior are carved, twisted and ornate (Cosmati). They call this style Pisan-Romanesque. Inside are some lovely paintings including Lippi’s Saints Helena, Jerome, Sebastian and Roch. Near this fine church is the home of Giacomo Puccini (he actually sang in the choir at San Michele in Foro). Casa Di Puccini is the 15^th century house where Giacomo was born. Today the house is a testimony to his life and work as a composer (opera). Santa Maria Forisportam is a 12^th century church worth checking out for the paintings inside (Assumption/Guercino and St. Lucy/Guercino). Incidentally, the word forisportam means outside the gates. Wednesday is market day in Lucca.

Pietrasanta is a charming Renaissance town (a recent discovery for me). The town is close to Lucca, the sea and on the slopes of the Apuan Mountains. Pietrasanta is one of the centers for marble and marble artistry (and has been for years and years). Make sure you stop in some of the shops to see the work done here. The town just oozes beauty. I usually head to the center of town (Piazza Del Duomo) to see the Cattedrale Di San Martino (14^th century) and Battistero/baptistry. The façade is of marble while the bell tower/campanile is of red brick (unfinished). Also in this piazza are the Chiesa Di Sant’Agostino (14^th century), the Museo Dei Bozzetti (in the cloister of Sant’Agostino — fine 17^th century frescoes in the cloister) has a collection of casts and models that illustrate the importance of sculpture to the town and area (some of the artists shown here are: Botero, Bloc, Fonseca, Gilardi, Cascella and many more), the Torre Delle Ore/Tower of the Hours, the Fonte Del Marzocco/fountain (14^th century), the Colonna Della Liberta and the monument to Leopoldo II. Other buildings to see are the Palazzo Pretorio (14^th century), Palazzo Panichi (14^th century), Palazzo Moroni (14^th century), now the Museo Civico, the Rocchetta Arrighina (14^th century), the Chiesa Di Sant’Antonio Abate (14^th century) with frescoes by Botero, the 14^th century Chiesa di San Francesco and the Palazzo Della Posta Vecchia (14^th century). Dominating the town is the Rocca Di Sala. Thursday is market day in Pietrasanta.