The chronicles of the oldest narrator of Lucca events, the Dominican Tolomeo Fiadoni, who lived between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, start from the year 1063.
Sercambi’s (1348 – 1424) start from 1164. The oldest mention of Lucca comes from Livy, who reported that after the battle of Trebbia (218BC), Hannibal turned towards the Ligurians and the consul Sempronius retreated to Lucca.
There is some debate over whether Livy meant “Luna”or “Luca” in his passage, but it is more likely that the consul retreated to Lucca than Luni, a defenseless city located on the sea and under surveillance by the Carthaginian fleet.
Are the origins of Lucca Ligurian or Etruscan? In the area between Luni and Pisa evidence of Ligurian occupation extends from the Lunigiana to Versilia, including Camaiore, is also found in the Serchio river valley and around Lucca. Other traces of the Ligurians can be found in Valdinievole. Etruscan remains have been discovered in the area of Bientina lake (probably an Etruscan name).
This proves that by the fifth century BC the Etruscans had crossed over to the north side of the Arno.
And since Etruscan traces remain in the names of places in the Lunigiana, but not in the areas of Massa or Versilia, and appear again in the plains around Lucca, it is possible to hypothesize that the Etruscans penetrated the Lucca countryside from two directions: from the Arno river valley, and from the sea by travelling up the Magra and Carrione rivers, they did not move much towards the south however, because of the swampy conditions of the area.
Therefore, Lucca can be basically considered Ligurian in origin, followed by an Etruscan influence between the fifth and fourth centuries BC, then recovered by the Ligurians at the beginning of the third century BC when the Etruscans were driven out during the battle of Sentino (295 BC).
The name Lucca also has a Celtic-Ligurian root (luk) which means “swampy area” and all place names in the Lucca area, in addition to the Roman and Medieval ones, also bear Etruscan traces and ancient roots of unclear ethnic origins.
In the fight against the Etruscans, Rome tried to obtain the favor of part of the Ligurians, but most of them opposed Rome, few Ligurians were favorable to Rome, among these were the inhabitants of the ager pisanus which included Lucca.
In the second century BC two types of colonies were founded: those based on Latin law and those based on Roman law. The colonies based on Latin law (among these Lucca) were independent from Rome (for example they had their owns armies and right to mint coins), but they were allied to Rome and populated by Roman and Italic citizens. The colonies based on Roman law were completely dependent on Rome, and were entirely populated by Roman citizens. Before the territory of Lucca became a full-fledged colony (180BC), it underwent a revision process.
Here is a brief description of how the Romans proceeded:In contrast, colonies under Roman law were totally dependent on Rome, partly because they were populated entirely by Roman citizens. Even the territory of Lucca, before it became a full-fledged colony (180 B.C.), underwent a process of revision.
The territory was thus divided in:
In Lucca the process of creating centurie was carried out as described below: The first step was construction of the two main streets, they crossed in the center of the city and formed four right angles: the street running from North to South was called the Decumanus Maximus, the one running from East to West was called the Cardus Maximus. Later other streets, parallel to the main ones, were built (Cardus and Decumanus).
Normally the Forum was located at the junction of the two main streets (which in Lucca are the present day Via Fillungo and Via Santa Croce): a square where it was possible to find temples dedicated for example to the Capitoline Triad.
In the ancient layout of LUCCA one part of the wall was not perfectly linear but tended to curve due to a branch of the river; the Serchio river at one time was divided into two branches: the Auser (which was the main course) and Auserculus (secondary branch). Over the years the course of the river changed, and thus the main branch which was the cause of the irregular walls, disappeared, and the other which still exists and passes outside the present day walls, changed names and became the Serchio.
In most of the cities that were founded in the same century as Lucca, three characteristics can be seen:
The importance of Roman Lucca is seen in the remains and the line of its walls, which numerous medieval documents and recent findings have made possible to trace with almost absolute certainty. The remains of Roman walls in and around the church of the Rose are interesting.
The perimeter of the Roman walls is calculated at approximately 2,500m., the area of the city 39 hectares, the height of the walls eight or nine meters, the population around 10,000 inhabitants. The city had four gates: the decumanus connected the gate which would later be called S. Gervasio (east) with S. Donato (west), the cardum probably connected S. Frediano (north) with S. Pietro (south). The center of the city was the Forum, the present day Piazza S. Michele, which is still called S. Michele in Foro (forum). In the II century AD, the amphitheater was built outside the walls and the theater whose remains can be seen was erected in Piazza S. Agostino, a small theater like all provincial theatres.
Little is known about other important buildings and the topography of Roman Lucca does not provide exact information. The baptistery of S. Giovanni definitely sits on the foundation of an ancient building as does the church of S. Michele in Foro. Lucca was an important crossroads.
The Via Clodia was built after 155 BC and the Via Emilia in 109.
The Via Cassia connected Rome with Florence and from Florence went towards Pistoia, from here one part continued to Bologna and another was connected to Lucca. Other important roads for the Municipium were: Lucca-Pisa connections, Lucca-Luni connections (Camaiore, Pietrasanta) which met up with the Via Emilia Scaura for Luni or, more likely, followed the route of the present day Via Sarzanese which after S. Pietro bridge, turns left and joins the Via Aurelia at Massaciuccoli. Here there are many remains of Roman houses and thermal baths, it is possible that the Fossae Papiriane was also located here.
There are traces of other local roads, for example the one for Pescia, Collodi, Marlia and Ponte a Moriano.
The area around Marlia has interesting Roman remains. Velleiate’s tables from the time of Trajan indicate that Lucca extended to the province of Reggio Emilia, and Strabone mentioned Lucca for its strong soldiers (even the current population is remarkably tall and well-built).
Lucca was not able to compete in terms of trade with Luni, Pisa or Florence. Florence quickly became important due to its possession of the Arno which gave it a quick connection with Pisa and the sea.
The most intact and priceless part of Lucca’s art is without doubt medieval. All of the remaining monuments are well maintained and almost completely intact.
The history of this period includes fortified walls, towers, tower-houses, domus a vita, and churches which characterized the religious life of the city. For an adequate understanding of the richness of the monuments, it is necessary to go back a few centuries and briefly examine the history of Lucca after the fall of the Roman Empire (476 AC), when a period of transition took place.
This phase which includes the Late Roman (III – V centuries) and the Early Medieval (VII – IX centuries) periods was characterized by widespread economic – political – administrative upheaval which affected the building industry. Historically, in addition to the decline of the Empire, there were raids by barbarian tribes. Lucca was not spared these, it was actually the destination of various groups of barbarians starting with the Goths, then the Longobards from the middle of the sixth century to middle of the eighth, who made the city the capital of the Dukedom of Tuscia.
Towards the end of the Longobard domination. it was as the capital of the Dukedom that Lucca’s fortunes improved, even if it was then taken over again by the Franks until the feudal period when there was a complete rebirth of the economy which was already in good financial conditions.
Following establishment of the Communes there was a great period of prosperity in the whole area, particularly in Lucca. But returning to the VII century, after Constantine in 313 and then Theodosius in 380 had granted religious freedom, there was a great expansion of the myriad of churches (within the Roman walls there were 51 between the VIII and IX centuries), some of which are still remain intact in Lucca and have not undergone much restoration work.The political crisis which had started at the time of Theodosius and which led to the fall of the Roman Empire, had a disastrous effect on the economy and thus on the building industry.
This was caused by a complete breakdown of political institutions due to the barbarian invasions and in particular, the Longobards. This population from Scandinavia, had no concept of law or politics and was dedicated to habitual raids, plundering cities to obtain their livelihood. It was during this period of Longobard dominance that Italy was divided into various dukedoms, with the exception of the monarchy in northern Italy where the king had all the power.
Of these dukedoms, of particular mention is Spoleto, and Tuscia, which Lucca became capital of. The Ducal Palace was built outside the Roman walls, near the modern Piazzale Verdi. The Royal Palace (Lucca was ruled by the king) was built to the east of present day Piazza Napoleone. Due to this coexistence of two political centers Lucca became a polycentric city, radically changing its Roman structure with the Forum at its center.
The rise of Christianity, the work of Bishop Frediano and conversion of the Longobards led to a strong relationship between the Dukedom and dioceses, which produced powerful ecclesiastical foundations and the high point of Lucca’s political and economic life. In addition to the churches, inside the walls were alleys and courtyards, each with portals at their entrances. Outside, the first streets started to form, known as the “rughe di S. Frediano” (wrinkles of S. Frediano): part of Via Fillungo, Via Fontana and Via Anguillara. The cardus maximus, located at the gate to the Roman walls, was modified.
In the early Middle Ages, small villages formed around San Frediano church, the remains of the Roman Amphitheater and San Pietro in Somaldi church. With the creation of these areas, one of the “rughe” became a main street, which separated the area of San Frediano from that of San Pietro in Somaldi and the Amphitheater which were located to the north and south, respectively.
In addition, the facade of San Frediano church originally faced away from the city. When the villages began to form during the Middle Ages the position of the facade was inverted and it took the place of the apse.
This was also due to the fact that between 1050 and 1200 the medieval walls were built which stopped development of the north part of the city. During the period of the communes the city’s trade flourished, particularly silk (following the route of the Via Francigena) and construction in the city, with the building of towers, tower-houses, domus a vita the architecture of which can still be admired today. The subsequent rule of Castruccio Castracani also had a positive influence, as did that of Paolo Guinigi, during which Lucca reached its maximum splendor.
The Walls of Lucca, built between the middle of 16th century and the beginning of 17th century represent a fortification system that has remained intact up today.
The surface of the brick curtain wall presents here and there remains of the mediaeval city stone walls; the bastions stretch out to remind the firing system, the gates with devotional images, barracks, glacis, mots, sally-ports, and the large plantation of trees on the top where towers and bell-towers can be seen.
In the process of transformation of the town, the city-walls have always formed an inseparable whole with the town itself.
Their defence function as fortress “alla moderna”, with external glacis and grassy terreplains, has been transformed into urban park.
The trees planted since the building of the military structure, for functional-strategic purposes, have been replaced by broad leafy trees to shade the promenade.
Lucca as other European and Renaissance fortified cities had a defensive system of bastions surmounted by a thicket of trees; this system has been kept organic to the evolution of the town, to its the territory, to the system of “villas” that spread out in the surrounding hills creating a network of architecture and gardens.
One can view “the arboreal horizon”, observing the town from the top, capture better the plan of the town, retrace the monuments, and reach the heart of Lucca through the maze of descents of our visual tour.
The Guinigi family claims remote feudal origins: their name appeared at first in documents of the 11th century when their economic power was consolidated by their fruitful mercantile and bank activities.
Their name, more than any other family, was bound forever to the history of Lucca because of the important role played by them between the end of the 14th century and the first decades of the 15th centuries: first came Francesco di Lazzaro, who was named “father of the county”, as he gave to the new-born Republic its democratic institution and formulation; then came Paolo who ruled from 1400 to 1430 as an absolute monarch.
His dominion coincided with a period of great artistic production and general growth in taste and fashion which reached the high standard of the most refined Italian and French courts.
The wonderful Cross cast in silver and gold, called “Dei Pisani”, a masterpiece of the goldsmith Vincenzo di Michele from Piacenza which is kept in the Museum of the “Opera del Duomo”, and the suburban Villa Guinigi, (presently the Museo Nazionale di Villa Guinigi), are examples of the high artistic level of the period.
The building, that well represents the magnificence Paolo Guinigi wanted to impress on his ruling style, was undertaken in 1412; more than hundred men worked at it everyday and yet in 1420 it wasn’t completed: in this year it had to host the great feast for the celebration of the fourth wedding of the Guinigi.
But the work of art which best represents the refined atmosphere of the “signoria” is the famous monument to the second wife of Guinigi, Ilaria del Carretto, a masterpiece of the sculptor Jacopo della Quercia.
From the beginning it was placed in the Cathedral, near the family altar, in the south transept.
The figure of the young woman, who died at the age of 26, recalls, for the quality of the relief and the intensity of the posture, other examples in France, instead in the epic series of “putti” on the basement, the artist must have had in mind the Roman sarcophagus from the “Adrian” period and other artistic manufacts of the Attic production. The remains of Ilaria were never placed here, but were engraved in the family cappella in St. Francesco. The monument was completed when Guinigi had married again.
His devotion to her memory came from his gratitude for the son she gave him, the future heir of the signoria.
Instead, the two Guinigiani palaces facing each other on the street named after the family belong to the 14th century, one of which is topped by the solemn, famous tower crowned with holm oaks, currently a must-see for those visiting Lucca.
The first is the one crowned by the celebrated tower with the ilex trees, an obligatory stop for all visitors: it is a large house built in 1376 by the brothers Dino, Lazzaro and Jacopo Guinigi, the other one was built by the brothers Francesco, Nicolao and Michele both represent two magnificent examples of civil architecture in Tuscany in the late gothic period.
The buildings are imposing and delicate in the same time because of the airy “trifore” (window with three arches) and the “tetrafore” supported by gracious slim columns.
The external ornamentation has, also, the function to soften the severity of the whole: metal rings in chiselled brickwork, capitals decorated with vegetable motives or with the human figure, spikes for horse in iron cast.
At the beginning of the 19th century, starts a process of transformation that continues to the middle of the 19th century.
The functional and formal aspects of the city become object of considerable modifications. At the end of the Democratic Republic (1801-1805) Napoleon established the Princedom of Lucca (1805-1814) under the guidance of Felice Baciocchi and his wife Elisa Bonaparte.
But it will be Elisa who rules the new state, and in 1808 she assumes the function and title of Grand Duchess of Tuscany.
The active and intelligent sister of the Emperor, undertakes an ambitious program that invests the ancient town and all the territory of Lucca to make it competitive and bring it to the high standard of the greatest European cities.
The plan is realized with great intuition and applying the unusual concept of an integrated program of intervention in the various sectors of the town and its territory.
So great was her success that after her departure (1814) the validity of her enterprise and the substantial quality of many of her initiatives were continued during the bourbon dukedom (1817-1847).
For the first time in its history Lucca becomes a real capital in the modern sense of the word: the centre of all the administrative, directional and political activities of the territory.
The ancient Palazzo Pubblico becomes the royal palace, with the facade on the new Piazza Napoleone created in 1806 after the demolition of an entire urban block.
New perspectives and visual prospects are created and a new functional role is conferred to various important parts of the town: streets are straightened and enlarged (postal streets); a new gate of the town walls, gate “Elisa” (1809), is built to connect the capital with the eastern part of the territory, towards Florence.
The town walls loose the function of “fortress”, and are transformed into a “park”. A new series of works of public utility and embellishment of the town are undertaken: a study for the new aqueduct to supply Lucca with water and substitute the ancient system of wells; works to settle the hydraulic system of the plane of Lucca through a network of channels to drain the marshes; works for the embankments of the river Serchio, that with its floods threatened constantly the city and its suburbs.
But Elisa undertakes as well a radical change in the institutional and legislative sectors.
On one side part of the religious corporations are suppressed and ecclesiastical funds confiscated, on the other, various educational institutions for male and female are founded; a real policy for cultural improvement is started: a new impulse is given to the arts; the Public Library is founded, and enterprises are undertaken in favour of the development in agriculture and commerce.
Elisa is soon considered as a myth and contemporary historians judge her works with a great sense of gratitude reminding the words she pronounced when she settled down: “to rule Lucca only in view of the interest and the happiness of the people”.
