Lucca
Tuscan Open air museum
General Information
Other Name: -, District: NA, State: Tuscany, Italy
Area: 185 km²
Languages Spoken: Italian
Long Distance Code: -
Importance: It is famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls .
Best Time to Visit: April to June and -
International Access: -Description
Lucca is a city in Tuscany.The walls around the old town remained intact as the city expanded and modernized, unusual for cities in the region.They are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species.Location
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The house where Giacomo Puccini was born in 1858 is now a museum, which houses portraits, scores, sketches and other memorabilia related to this famous composer''s life and career.
The original church, which became the seat of the Bishop in the eighth century, is believed to have been founded by St Fredianus in the sixth century. The church, dedicated to St Martin, was rebuilt by Bishop Anselmo da Baggio, later Pope Alexander II and was again completely rebuilt in the 13th century. As a result it is predominantly Romanesque, with some Gothic features.
This tower is easily recognizable: it has a leaning tree growing out of its top.
It now houses the Museo Nazionale (National Museum), with its rich art collection. Of particular interest are the Etruscan and Roman sculpture, sculpture from Lucca''s medieval churches (San Michele and the cathedral) and numbers of panel-paintings.
The Palazzo Pfanner-Controni, just inside the walls on the north side of the old town of Lucca, was built in 1667. It is noted for its open two-story loggia with staircase, a harmonious Renaissance creation. The garden, laid out in the 17th century, has a number of fine statues.
Created by Napoleon''s sister, Elisa Baciocchi, this splendid villa with its 17th-century gardens has always been the residence of noble families and great patrons of art.