Lucca

Lucca (population 90,000) is a city in Tuscany, northern central Italy, near (but not on) the Ligurian Sea.

Republic of Lucca

Lucca was the largest Italian city state with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain an independent republic over the centuries - next to Venice, of course. In 1805 Lucca was taken over by Napoleon, who put his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi in charge as Princess of Lucca. After 1815 it became a Bourbon-Parma duchy, then part of Tuscany in 1847 and finally part of the Italian State.

Related Topics:
Venice - 1805 - Napoleon - Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi - Bourbon-Parma - Duchy - Italian State

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Unusually for cities in the region, the walls around the old town were retained intact as the city expanded and modernized. As the wide walls lost their military importance, they became a pedestrian promenade ringing the old town although they were used for a number of years in the 20th century for racing cars. They are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species.

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The academy of sciences (1584) is the most famous of several academies and libraries.

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Lucca is the birthplace of composers Francesco Geminiani, Gioseffo Guami, Luigi Boccherini, Giacomo Puccini and Alfredo Catalani. The Casa di Puccini is open to the public. At nearby Torre del Lago there is a Puccini opera festival every year in July/August. Puccini had a house there.

Related Topics:
Francesco Geminiani - Gioseffo Guami - Luigi Boccherini - Giacomo Puccini - Alfredo Catalani - Torre del Lago

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