International Women’s Day in Italy

Last Friday, March 8th, was International Women’s Day. The origins of the day lie in 1922 as a protest against the terrible working conditions that led to the deaths of women working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York.  First celebrated in Italy in the 1920’s, the United Nations proclaimed it an international day in 1977. 

Today the day recognizes the many contributions of women – social, political, cultural  – as well as the persistent issues that women face.

In Italy the day is marked in shades of yellow as the traditional gift is a bouquet of mimosa blossoms.  The bright blooms arrive in March and are both bright and hardy, a perfect symbol of the women they represent on this day.

To celebrate La Festa della Donna, I picked up a bunch of mimosas and studied the posters with quotes from famous women that were in the shop windows in Chiasso Barletti. (text and translations at end of this post).

I also participated in a walking tour that told the stories of several of Lucca’s famous (and infamous) historical women.  What fun to listen to Ilaria, our guide, as she recounted their stories. Our walk took us to several places associated with these women - churches where they were wed, palazzi, towers, and scenes of murder.

The body of Santa Zita during her April feast day celebration

Lucca has no shortage of long-ago women who have contributed to its culture, history, and mythology.  The women included on the walking tour represented a wide range of characteristics. Some were saintly, others not so much. For a saintly example there is Lucca’s patroness Santa Zita. Zita was a poor servant, who cared for the needy and is credited with many miracles. Today she rests in a glass coffin inside the church of San Frediano.  Her legend is so important in Lucca that she has her own feast day in April.

The Torre Guinigi, part of the Guinigi home and today the most recognized symbol of Lucca.

One of Lucca’s women of history was a model of marital fidelity and motherhood.  Her name was Ilaria del Carretto, the second wife of Paolo Guinigi. Paolo was an important political figure in Lucca during the early 1400’s and Ilaria was his young bride. In two years of marriage, Ilaria gave birth to two children, a son and a daughter, Sadly, she died of pregnancy related complications shortly after her daughter’s birth. The faithful Ilaria was memorialized by her husband with an elaborate marble sarcophagus, a sculptural masterpiece by Jacobo della Quercia.  The sarcophagus is topped with a life-sized figure of Ilaria, elegantly dressed in stylish robes. Her hair is beautifully styled, her head rests serenely on pillows.  A faithful little dog lies at her feet. Her empty sarcophagus now lies in the sacristy of Lucca’s Duomo (the Cathedral of San Martino) while Ilaria’s remains are in the church of San Francesco where the Guinigi family had a chapel.  So many people rubbed the nose of Ilaria’s marble likeness, hoping to find true love, that the nose was nearly worn off and had to be restored.  The sarcophagus is one of Lucca’s most important historic monuments. And don’t be surprised if you find a lot of Lucchese girls named Ilaria.

The sarcophagus of Ilaria del Carretto, Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca

The cortile of Palazzo Mansi with a carriage very like Lucida’s.

 Another of Lucca’s legendary women was Lucida Mansi.  Her story is neither saintly nor faithful. Lucida was young and widowed after the death of her first husband. She eventually remarried a rich, older man, Gaspar di Nicolao Mansi. It does not seem that she was faithful to her second husband and there were rumors of many lovers. That part is history, the next is legend. Lucida was said to be beautiful, very vain, and quite attached to her mirrors.  Noticing signs of aging – gasp! a wrinkle! – she made a pact with the devil for 30 more years of youthful beauty in exchange for her soul.  At the end of 30 years, she climbed Lucca’s clock tower to try to stop time. When that failed, she attempted to flee the devil along Lucca’s walls in her horse drawn carriage.  But the carriage flew off the walls, landed in a lake, and she drowned.  That’s the legend. In truth, she died of plague in 1649. Today the Palazzo Mansi is a museum where visitors can visit her home and see a replica of that doomed carriage. And the lake that she supposedly drowned in is part of Lucca’s Orto Botanico. Look closely during the full moon and you just might see her reflection in the water.

Does the spirit of Lucida still haunt this lake in Lucca’s Orto Botanico?

 Another of Lucca’s women was even more scandalous.  Lucrezia Malpigli married Lelio Buonviso of the rich and powerful Buonvisi family of Lucca.   The marriage was arranged by her family, the groom was not her choice. Lucrezia was in love with another man, Massimiliano Arnolfini. He was from a wealthy, but not noble, Lucchese family and so was not acceptable to her father as a potential husband. But they longed to be together despite the obstacle of the husband. He simply had to go. Both Lucrezia and Arnolfini were implicated in the murder of Lelio Buonvisi. 

The former cloisters of Santa Maria dei Servi church (today a city library) sits on the street where Lelio Buonvisi was murdered in 1593. Today it is a peaceful spot.

After the murder of her husband, Lucrezia fled to a convent where she became a nun. She was in isolation and doomed to a vow of silence for many years.  Arnolfini was arrested and died in prison. Their doomed love is part of Lucca’s history.

Lucky for me there are not so many murders in Lucca these days. And lucky for the women of Lucca that arranged marriages are a thing of the past! That is something to celebrate on this International Day of Women.

Text and translations of posters: Top row, left to right: Mia illustre signoria le mostrerò che cosa può fare una donna (My illustrious lordship I will show you what a woman can do). Artemisia Gentileschi, Italian Painter 1593 - 1653. Non hai bisogno di un uomo, tutto ciò di cui hai bisogno è sapere che puoi (You don’t need a man, all you need is to know that you can). Roxanne Shanté, American Rapper

Bottom row, left to right: Abitare la contraddizione è il metodo che include (To inhabit the contradiction is the method that includes). Michela Murgia, Italian author and feminist. Una bambino, un insegnante, una penna, e un libro possono cambiare il mondo (a young girl, a teacher, a pen, and a book can change the world) Malala Yousafzai

Lucca’s flower market for la Festa della Donna

March in Lucca

The month of March starts off slow in Lucca and then builds towards the first hints of spring, an explosion of flowers, the beginning of the busy visitor season and, finally, Spring.

But so far, the first week of March isn’t feeling much different than February.  It’s still raining.  With gray skies and bare trees, most of the color comes from a rainbow of umbrellas. 

And while the temperatures are slowly creeping up, it is still chilly. Perfect weather for soup, pots of tea, afternoon naps, and catching up with friends. 

Even better if the catching up happens over a cappuccino in an elegant cafe.

I’ve been back in Lucca for two weeks now, after a long visit to the US over the holidays and all through January. A walk around town, even in the drizzly weather, is a good remedy for the prolonged case of jet lag that has hounded me since my return.  

This statue of Luigi Boccherini is always there to greet me when I return to Lucca. He sits outside the Boccherini Institute, a music school. It isn’t far from my apartment so I pass by often. Walking past and hearing the sounds of students practicing is always a sure sign that I am back in Lucca.

As I walk, I enjoy seeing familiar places as well as small forgotten details and surprise finds. 

Stumbling across a little vignette like this one is always a delightful surprise.

I am always delighted by how many new details I find even after 5 years of living here - a previously unnoticed stretch of decorative brick, a bit of street art, a beautiful art deco piece decorating a building, a fanciful torch holder, a unique door knocker, beautiful decorative ironwork, a statue.    

 On my recent walks I’ve also tried to pay attention to the signs of the season in Lucca.  The nearly empty weekday streets are a sure sign that it is still late winter. 

The many temporarily closed cafes and bars signify the owners’ chance to grab a bit of rest after the holidays and the excitement of Carnevale and before the hubbub of events that surround Easter.

The bare branches of this tree are like a sculpture against the backdrop of the old brick and stone church wall.

At this time of year there is a stark beauty in the bare trees and vines.  In a few weeks the wisteria will begin to flower and the trees will turn green with leaves.  And the visitors will arrive.  But not just yet.  And, with all those bare branches, what a wonderful surprise this week to turn a corner and find a whole street of magnolias already in bloom. 

Mimosas are the traditional gift for la Festa della Donna

I am looking forward to several events that will come later this month. March 8th marks the Festa della Donna (International Women’s Day), a day to celebrate the achievements of women in all fields. Bright yellow bunches of mimosas are a traditional part of the day.

After that comes the Festa di San Giuseppe (Feast of Saint Joseph) on the 19th.  I admit that it is the traditional feast day frittelle that I really look forward to.  I’ll take two cream filled ones please.

Later in March, Good Friday will be marked with a traditional and very solemn procession through the streets of Lucca.  

It is an historic and moving event and one that always marks the beginning of spring for me. March will conclude with Easter. It arrives early this year, on March 31st. 

The Good Friday procession in Lucca

There are also some unique events happening this month. One is an exhibit of works by Antonio Canova (it runs through September). That exhibit will be a good thing to do on one of these a rainy March afternoons.

2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Giacomo Puccini. And Puccini is a big deal here in Lucca where he was born. He started his musical career playing in local churches and spent much of his adult life in the area. He spent a lot of time in Lucca’s Caffe di Simo (in Puccini’s time it was known as Café Caselli).  Sadly, that cafe has been closed for more than a decade now, sitting empty on Via Fillungo.  It is a legendary place that has not been significantly changed since Puccini last met his friends there. It will reopen (temporarily) for several special events during the Puccini celebrations this year.  It’s one of those abandoned, dusty places that I have long wanted to see. I am looking forward to being able to get inside! 

This pretty cat made me smile on one of my wanders through Lucca. Here he sits outside the church where Puccini was baptized.

After its slow and quiet start, March promises to be a busy month in Lucca with lots of activities, celebrations, and the slow unfolding of spring. 

I’m ready!

Carnevale Lucca Style

Venice, 2020

 If you come to Italy during the month of February, be prepared for some excitement.  February is the month of Carnevale - the big post-Christmas season event that brings fun and celebration in anticipation of the more restrained period of the 40 days of Lent which precede Easter.

 Picture processions, costumes, fantastic masks, balls, parties, sweets and lots and lots of confetti. 

The character of the celebrations may vary, from the elegance of Venice, to the satire of Viareggio, and the many celebrations in large and small towns throughout Italy.  Fun and a chance to cut loose prior to Lent are the common denominators.

 Lucca, where I live, is just about 30 minutes from the seaside town of Viareggio.  Viareggio plays host to Italy’s 2nd largest Carnevale event (just behind Venice’s) on successive weekends throughout most of February. 

Viareggio, 2019

Paper-mâché floats are the centerpieces of the Corso Mascherato (masked route) procession which takes place along Viareggio’s seaside promenade.  Some of the floats are huge, requiring a whole team to propel them forward and move their various extremities  - nothing is mechanized, it’s all human powered.  

Others are smaller, but all are works of art created by a carrista, a master craftsman / artisan / maker of floats.  Their creations make comments, allegorical and satirical, on society, politics, culture, and a host of modern-day issues. Over the course of the month half a million plus visitors will come to Viareggio to enjoy the procession. 

For the first several years that I lived in Lucca there was barely a hint of Carnevale here.  A few children’s parties, some glitter and confetti, but not much else.  With Viareggio just a short train ride away, none of the action came our way.  

That changed in 2023 with the advent of Lucca in Maschera, a collaboration between the cities of Lucca and Viareggio to bring some of the Carnevale magic here to Lucca. 

This year the festivities began on February 4th with a parade of masked groups, some 400 people strong, and some of the smaller floats / figures from Viareggio, along Lucca’s historic walls. And that was just the beginning. This year I watched the excitement of the parade from afar, as I was still in New Mexico visiting family. A big thanks to Lucca resident Sandra Liliana Pucci for the parade photos below.

Several large installations remain on display in the piazzas throughout town. I was delighted that they were still in place when I returned to Lucca last week. Walking through town to discover the various works was a great welcome home for me!

Paper-mâché Rolling Stones tower over Piazza Napoleone in memory of their concert here several years ago.  A huge tiger sits under the loggia in Piazza San Michele. 

This Shaman made its way from the parade on the walls to Piazza Anfiteatro. Thanks to M.A. Fisher for this photo

The whale from the Pinocchio tale fills the space in front of the tourist information center in Piazzale Verdi and huge Shamans work some magic in Piazza Anfiteatro. 

 Throughout February a host of other Carnevale activities are taking place.   Events in Lucca include children’s celebrations, a masked ball, the return of a historic masquerade in Piazza San Francesco (an event that has been missing for several years), musical performances, and lots of good Carnevale sweets in the pastry shops. 

I won’t make it to Viareggio this year, much less to Venice, but I am enjoying the Carnevale events in Lucca. Even the leftover confetti on the streets make me smile.

Christmas Windows in Lucca, Italy

Casa Antica, on Via San Giorgio, is one of the best places in Lucca to find Christmas decorations. It is also great if just browsing.

Walking through Lucca at night in December is all about the lights. Strings of lights glow overhead along the streets. Trees and oversize ornaments fill the piazzas. A stroll through town on a December evening is pure joy.

Day time brings a different kind of joy. The days are all about popping into shops and gazing into shop windows.

The stores are full of decorations ranging from simple to extravagant. Much as I tell myself that I really don’t need more decorations for my small apartment, it seems that I always find something that I just have to have.

All through the city, shop owners create fanciful window displays that capture the attention of children and adults alike.

Candy shops and gift shops are especially well decorated but jewelry shops, pharmacies, butchers, bakers, and even a woodworking shop have fun window displays.

A temporary exhibit under the loggia in Piazza San Michele has wonderful presepe (nativity scenes) on display along with hand-painted traditional nativity figures for sale. Italian presepe are fascinating and include whole villages of craftsmen, workers, and villagers in detailed settings.

Other shops have draped their doorways in lights and greenery. Chiasso Barletti, a pedestrian alley filled with shops, rolls out the red carpet and decorates all along the passageway.

Ditta Galliani, on Via Roma, sells exquisite housewares. Their spectacular widow displays (below) change weekly during the holiday season. Each one showcases a different collection of holiday china, ceramics, glassware, and ornaments. The ever changing arrangements attract a lot of attention as people stop at the window to admire the latest version. Lots of photos are taken here!

This year I am headed to New Mexico to spend the holidays with my family and Albuquerque friends. I am happy to have experienced all of Lucca’s holiday cheer before I jumped on a plane for Christmas in New Mexico, where the traditions are very different from those in Italy but still wonderful. It will be fun to experience Christmas on two continents this year !

Another of Ditta Galliani’s window displays

Holiday Magic Arrives in Lucca

Via Fillungo, in the evenings after the Tree Lighting ceremony

The winter holidays officially began in Lucca on the evening of November 26th with a community event marking the beginning of Lucca Magico Natale (Lucca Magical Christmas), a season that will last until Epiphany on January 6th. 

Over the preceding week, lights were strung along the streets in the historic center of town.  Next, decorations began to appear in the form of large Christmas trees and oversized Christmas ornaments in many of the piazzas.  However, none of the lights on the trees or ornaments were turned on until the ceremony on the 26th.

 The festivities began in Piazza Napoleone, the largest piazza in Lucca, with the opening of the pista di pattenaggio (ice skating rink).  This is a favorite of local kids, as is the full size sleigh with two sparkly reindeer in the lead.    

 Then came the big event – the lighting of the Albero di Natale, a massive 45 foot tall Christmas tree.  A crowd gathered to ooh and aah as the lights came on.  Not just simple lights, but ones that change color and pattern with swirls of light moving up the tree.  

The event next moved on to Piazza San Michele where a different kind to tree stood. That tree is much more modern, a multidimensional metal sculpture standing 16 feet tall.  The tree is a large version of the tabletop ones designed for Alessi, the very fashionable Italian housewares company, for their Christmas collection “Bark for Christmas”.

Across the piazza stands a large, modern Presepe (nativity), also an Alessi design.

Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) also made an appearance, accompanied by a princess who was definitely not Mrs. Claus!

Could she be Elsa from the Frozen movies? The children with delighted to pose for photos with both of them. 

Perhaps the best part of the ceremony in Piazza San Michele was the projection on the church of moving stars and baubles on a blue background.  It is a beautiful and festive display.

Mother Nature contributed a bit of magic too, providing a full moon rising over the rooftops surrounding the piazza.

The Church of San Michele at Christmastime.

The final stop on the lighting ceremony was in Piazza Anfiteatro (the Amphitheater Piazza) where a huge star with a comet-like tail filled the piazza with sparkle.  

Piazza Anfiteatro in the evenings after the lighting ceremony

Before the lights of the decorations were illuminated, a full moon brightened the piazza

Music was provided at each stop by the very lively Large Street Band, an energetic group of horn players. Babbo Natale and his companion danced to the music, holding hands with a circle of children.

The full moon hung over the Anfiteatro and there really was magic.

Piazza San Frediano, Lucca.

Walking through town after the ceremony, more large decorations were found in Piazza Scalpellini, Piazza San Frediano, and Piazza San Salvatore.   

Lucca is full of lights and sparkles this holiday season. Evening walks are going to be wonderful between now and January 6th!

Piazza Scalpellini, Lucca