After few lazy mornings enjoying the last of the sunshine and swatting mosquitos with The Bat of Death, we needed a mooch around Lucca.We usually park near the station and go in the Renaissance Porto San Pietro and are quickly in the medieval heart, on a Roman street plan. Named after the saint, as per tradition, and built in 1565 it is one of the oldest outer gateways in to the walled city. However, there was no parking as the station area is being renovated so instead we found ourselves abandoning the car further around the walls and entering through the most recent gate, Porto Elisa. Named not after a saint, but Napoleon’s sister, it is restrained, sombre, with hints of a Triumphal arch. It was built in 1811 out of stone from destroyed churches, the secular growing out of the bones of the ecclesiastical.
The Gates tell different stories.
The coat of arms on the Porto San Pietro declares the Lucca Motto – Libertas. Freedom. The Republic of Lucca which existed from 1120 until 1799 painted ‘Libertas’ on its banners. Then it got caught up in the wars around the French Revolution. It’s somewhat ironic that the French battle cry of ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity’ didn’t work out well for their neighbours.
In 1805 Napoleon took Lucca, and gave it to Elisa, his sister, who became Duchess. A cursory glance at the history, and she seems to have done a decent enough job for Lucca, but if the city had benefits – schools, compulsory smallpox vaccination etc, she also destroyed Medieval churches and relics and rather than a beloved Princess, it seems she was called ‘La Madam’ – the Luccese weren’t not thrilled to be dominated by the French or a woman. I guess freedom was more palatable for them served within the constraints and bread and wine of the One True Epistolic church, rather than under the ‘Let them eat cake’ secular French Imperialists
Rome for Love, Lucca for Liberty. Love, Liberty? Choose.
Through the gate, we walked beneath the steep walls, and turned up Via Elisa. The colonnade is elegant, like the embodiment of an architect’s drawing. I thought it Renaissance, but its restrained balance is of the same period, 1812 by the architect Italian Giuseppe Marchelli, (trained in Paris) Then we slid into Villa Bottini (1566) There is something so calming about balanced, symetrical villas set in walled gardens with century old trees, even if over looked by medieval houses that were probably there first. It is now owned by the Commune and used for exhibitions- and apparently a summer film season for next year! We were free to wander the state rooms with their fabulous frescos and artwork.
When Archie was little we went on a fam trip to an historic house to celebrate my mum’s birthday. https://stmarysbramber.co.uk
‘Oooo knitted walls!’ said Archie to our delight on sight of the tapestries.
Back in Villa Bottini we ooo-ed over the frescoes, and then sat in the garden. In the distance you could hear near constant distant rumbling of thunder. Nearby the birds were in full song- the sky had darkened and perhaps the pre storm twilight fooled them into an early dusk chorus.
We quickly popped into the church opposite, Santissima Triniti (1595) but it was dark and oppressive, perhaps because of the building storm outside, perhaps because of the nun that flitted in and out of the dim interior whispering away. At the foot of the altar was a glass coffin with a gilded statue holding relics. By contrast a lactating Madonna, was almost luminous in milk coloured stone.
Just before the now inner medieval gates we crossed the little clear water rill that goes through this end of Lucca. There aren’t many fountains in Lucca compared at least to Rome. The mighty Serchio flows past outside the city walls. In the past Lucca’s enemies have tried to dam it so it floods the city- without success. But the trickle of a canal flows through the eastern part. It was humid, incredibly hot, and on the clear, shallow waters you could see the radiating circles of rain drops. A deluge was imminent.
If there is something I absolutely love, it’s an end of summer downpour.
The next second we passed through the old medieval gate Porto San Gervasio. The streets tightened and waivered and immediately we were attracted to shops selling original art.inhttps://gallerialarte.com
The drops were getting heavier but no sooner had we stepped back outside than we happened across Lorenzo Pacini’s fine art gallery. GS bought some of his hand painted furniture for the villa so it was lovely to see him, and his wife, and be introduced to one of their friends.https://www.facebook.com/artelorenzopacini
We chatted for ages. Outside, the clouds opened, raindrops dashed bouncing off the pavement, umbrellas opened and everyone scattered for cover. Like a toddler wanting to stamp in puddles I was itching to get out, but it was too lovely to be chatting to them about the villa, art, politics.
Next -lunch. GS mentioned a salt encrusted dried cod restaurant nearby. To be honest even if this is a Lucchese speciality it is not one that has ever really inticed me.
Another local speciality is Bistecca alle Fiorentina. This is not for the faint of heart.
Once, in Barga GS and I watched this little old lady and gentleman sat down for lunch. He ordered a fiorentine steak, she some pasta. When it arrived, served upright, it was the size of a harp, the rib of a dinosaur. We watched, fascinated yet appalled, as he slowly, methodically ate the lot, like a boa swallowing a gazelle.
Anyway, with a hint of autumn undeniable, the menus are changing, the distant call of boar and fungi mushrooms, although I still had a carbonara itch to scratch left over from our brief Roman visit.
This lovely lady was making fresh pasta in the window. She was impossible to resist.
GS had the funghi porcini, me the carbonara and it was, absolutely fabulous.http://www.trattoriadanonnaclara.it
We are going back tomorrow with friends! Woohoo!
2 Comments
Reading your article on Lucca, it awaked my desire to visit this lovely place. Thanks!
Thank you so much Monica! We are very lucky to be close to this gem of a city and delighted to be able to share our exploration. Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words.