A New, Very Old Neighborhood

The historic center of Lucca is small, lying within a 4.2 km (2.5 mile) surround of Renaissance era walls.  It is easy to walk from one side of town to the other in just 20 minutes. It might seem that such a small area would feel like one cohesive neighborhood, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Historically, in the Medieval and in the Renaissance period, Lucca was divided into 3 terzieri (thirds of the town) each with its own administration.  The terzieri were further divided into 4 smaller sections called gonfaloni.  Each gonfalone (singular form of gonfaloni) had a unique name and symbol, which was carried on a banner.   

The 3 terzieri are represented in the many Medieval events held in Lucca

San Martino Cathedral lends its name to the terziere on Lucca’s eastern side

The terzieri in Lucca were the Terziere of San Martino, Terziere of San Salvatore, and Terziere of San Paolino.  San Martino was the largest of the three, though least populated, taking up much of the eastern and central part of the city, from north to south. 

Next, San Paolino, in the western section of Lucca, was the oldest terziere of the city. It had the largest population and held a position of importance within the historic city.

The Church of San Tommaso in the terziere of San Paolino, is one of Lucca’s oldest churches.

The smallest of the terziere was San Salvatore, in the north central part of Lucca. 

One of the most famous fountains in Lucca stands in Piazza San Salvatore in the terziere of the same name, the building behind is the Church of San Salvatore, another of Lucca’s oldest churches. It gave the terziere its name.

Today, there are many echoes of those long-ago neighborhoods in Lucca.   While the modern city has one unified city government, the names of the old terzieri persist, and the churches and piazzas that anchored them are still standing as the cornerstones of unique neighborhoods. 

Two of the Medieval city gates are still used. Both sit within the San Martino terziere and mark the limits of what was the Medieval city. Today, locals and visitors alike walk under the arches each day as they head toward the center of town. A third gate, the Porta San Donato, has been replaced by a newer, larger entrance to the city in the Renaissance era wall.  However, part of the old gate (middle photo below) can still be seen nearby as part of the tourist information center.

The historic divisions are perhaps best represented in Lucca’s frequent Medieval themed events which often involve competitions with costumed teams from each of the terzieri carrying their unique banners.  The Terzieri of San Paolino is still important - it often takes the prize in archery competitions.

This history has been on my mind since I recently moved from an apartment in the San Martino neighborhood to one in the San Paolino area.  Historically speaking, my new apartment is in the Terzieri San Paolino, the Gonfalone della Serena (the subdivision of the Siren).  And even though I am just about a 10-minute walk to the west of my old apartment, this part of town has a very different vibe.  I would describe it as being off the beaten path, a slice of Lucca before the “spiffing up” for tourists.  It is definitely a residential area, not a souvenir shop to be found.  

Bar Probi

I have been exploring the area for the last couple of weeks.  I’ve found one nearby bar for morning coffee, run by a pair of friendly sisters.  It sits just across from a court building and is very popular with the people working there. A cornetto and a cappuccino here costs €2.80. Definitely a taste of old Lucca and certainly not tourist prices.

When I introduced myself to one of the owners, saying that I had just moved to this part of town, her response was “well, then this is your bar, see you tomorrow”.  A nice welcome!   A second bar, Bar Tiani, has welcomed Lucchese since the 1950’s. It is located right next to the neighborhood grocery store. Full of locals, it is a lively place full of the music of spoken Italian. And who doesn’t need a caffè before grocery shopping? A bonus is the small Thursday morning market, just a block or two from my new place. It has wonderful fruits and vegetables straight from area farms.

 I’ve mostly organized my new apartment, a small studio inside a former convent, the style of which is what I call “Ikea chic”.  I now know where the breakers are – an important detail after the power went out in a storm, not an unusual occurrence here in Italy.  I’ve explored the nearest way out of the walls through the very interesting Porta San Donato.  And I am finding new details in doors, windows, bricks, and streets each time I set out. 

I am enjoying things that seem small but have a big impact of quality of life – a complete kitchen (no more Easy Bake oven for me!), good AC (critical in hot, hot August), and – best of all – a terrace which looks out at roof tops and gardens. Opening the doors to the terrace first thing each morning, with beautiful southern light, makes me smile.  That I found this small, affordable place feels like a miracle.

Living in Italy has taught me many things – the joys of a simple apartment, a good local bar for morning coffee, the sound of the Italian language drifting through my doors, church bells ringing, looking out over a hidden garden, and a community of nice people - these are the things of value.

And cool, rainy weather!  I vote for more of that.

The entry way to my building, once a convent.

Traces of Ancient Rome

A little bit of Ancient Rome in Spello

Modern day Italy is built over and around the remains of ancient Rome. There are countless examples, many of which are buried well below ground. They become visible only when a construction project unearths them. Often digging, whether for a big construction project (like a new metro line in Roma) or a simple home renovation, exposes stunning mosaic floors, the outlines of ancient homes, or the base of a Roman column. Many a construction project has been delayed when ruins are discovered and the archeologists arrive.

Some of the buried traces of Roman life have been carefully excavated and are opened to visitors as museums. 

In a bit of urban drama, some Roman structures sit proudly right in the middle of a city, absorbed into every day Italian life.  Rome’s Forum and Colosseum are no doubt the most well-known examples, but there are many others.  And some remnants of the Roman era aren’t ruins at all, but intact buildings still in use today. 

This 1st century amphitheater sits right in the middle of Verona, just off Piazza Bra

In Lucca, the Roman bits are mostly hidden.  But look closely and they reveal themselves. Within the church of Santa Maria della Rosa is a segment of the Roman era city walls which form one wall of the church.  More Roman history lies under the Church of San Giovanni (including Roman baths) and under Via Cesare Battisti in the Domus Romana (Roman House).  Traces of Rome in Lucca persist in the shape of Piazza Anfiteatro and in Piazza Santa Maria Forisportam which marks the border of the old Roman city. Piazza San Michele, today the best people watching spot in town, was once the site of the ancient Roman Forum. 

The Church of Santa Maria della Rosa is the best place to see the remains of the Roman era wall that once enclosed the city

Not far from Lucca, the ruins of a Roman villa sits a short distance from the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli.  Amazingly, it is possible to wander through the completely open site!

In the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, in and around the city of Trieste, the ghosts of ancient Rome seem to be everywhere.  Most dramatic are the remnants of a Roman theater that sit right in the middle of Trieste.  A large section of the seating is intact making it easy to picture the events that took place there.

An ancient Roman theater in Trieste, right in the heart of the city

Not far from Trieste, the town of Aquileia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Once a Roman military post, the town has a large archeological area and a host of historical finds.  The Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta was built over layers of much earlier structures.  Its Medieval floor was removed to reveal Roman era mosaics underneath.  These can be seen up close from a clear walkway that sits just above the mosaic floor.  The detailed mosaics, rich in color and imagery, make up the largest Roman mosaic floor in this region.   

Verona

In Verona, a Roman arena sits just off Piazza Bra.  Not just a historic relic, today the arena hosts opera performances and other special events.  Climb the stone steps to where Romans once sat and feel the shadows of the past.

In Spello a Roman Gate to the city still stands.  The Porta Consolare, with its three arches, was the main entrance to Roman Spello. 

The three arches allowed carts and people to pass through. The attached tower was a Medieval addition. Like so many Italian cities, Spello clearly shows its evolution over various eras.

Porta Consolare, Spello

Next stop, Torino (Turin) where another Roman gate awaits.  This one, the Porta Palatina, has a segment with 3 arches at ground level topped with a tall two row high series of “windows” and flanked by two towers.  Statues of Julius and Augustus Caesar, reproductions of the original bronzes, stand just inside the gates. Ruts left by carts can still be seen approaching the gates.

Porta Palatina, Torino

One of the most fascinating examples of the late Roman / early Christian period in northern Italy is in the city of Ravenna. The Mausoleum of Galla Palicidia (another UNESCO World Heritage site) is deceptively plain on the exterior but breathtakingly beautiful inside. The building never fulfilled its original purpose - as the final resting place of Galla Palicidia, the powerful last Empress of the Roman Empire - but instead most likely functioned as a chapel. Small in size, but huge in impact, it is filled with ornate mosaics from floor to ceiling, in alcoves, around arches, on lunettes, and up to a blue and star filled ceiling. The interior is hushed and softly lit by light filtered through small alabaster windows. The mosaics reflect Christian religious themes through detailed and colorful mosaic figures, which include humans, animals, and plants. It is one of those places that require reverence.

One of the best Roman era aqueducts is the Post du Gard in France

These are just a sampling of Roman historical sites in Northern Italy.  Of course Roman artifacts can be found in modern day Rome, throughout Italy, and in nearby countries. Some outstanding examples are in England and France - which means I need to plan more travel!

I’ve skipped the most well-known relics of the ancient Romans in favor of some of the perhaps less famous in northern Italy. A whole lifetime would be needed to explore them all!

The Colorful Month of June

Agriturismo La Volpe e l’Uva, near Perugia. I sure enjoyed my morning coffee on this patio.

I’ve spent time the past couple of weeks in both Tuscany and Umbria, enjoying the late spring / early summer that is one of the loveliest of seasons in Italy.  Temperatures are quite warm (but not yet uncomfortably hot) during the day, with cool mornings and evenings.  A perfect beginning to “aperitivo season” when the evenings are ideal for enjoying a get together with friends sitting outside on a lively piazza.  Bright orange Aperol Spritzes are now dotting tables everywhere, adding a definite burst of summer color.

One of the best things about June in Italy is the range of colors painted by nature as the trees and vines get their leaves and the flowers bloom.  Look closely and you can find small clusters of grapes forming, the earliest hints of olives, and tiny figs that hold the promise of August sweetness.  The scent of Jasmine in bloom is the best sort of perfume.

 The countryside is stunning as the bright yellow blooms of Ginestra (in English we would call it Scottish or Spanish Broom) mingle with the greens of the vines and olive trees.

The beautiful countryside near Perugia in Umbria filled with Ginestra in bloom

 In towns, flowers fill window boxes and pots.  They spill over walls, sneak into crevices, and take over abandoned doorways.

Lucca in June

 Even the railroad tracks are dressed up by the last of the spring poppies.

 In Lucca, the garden of Palazzo Pfanner is the place to go for the best variety of colors and flower varieties.  Especially stunning are the rows of hortensia (hydrangea) in white, pink, blue, and purple.

 I enjoyed seeing June burst into color in Italy.  Next up for me will be the desert blooms of New Mexico; I’ll enjoy those until I return to Lucca in a few weeks.

Walking Through Lucca’s History

In Italian, the verb rievocare means to recall, commemorate, or evoke.   Lucca is, for the most part, a Medieval city.  That history can be recalled easily in the current street plan, Medieval towers, and the many churches from that era that can be found throughout town.  To “rievocare” that Medieval history is easy. 

There are of course vestiges of earlier eras, the outline of a Roman amphitheater, remnants of the Roman wall, and some remarkable Roman ruins lying under churches and houses.  The later Renaissance history can also be spotted, most clearly in the walls that surround the historic city center.   But when it comes to celebrating historical events, it is usually the Medieval period that is recreated through costumes, processions, music, and competitions.

How would one even go about planning an event that would recall the broader scope of Lucca’s history?  From before the Roman era and through the period at the end of World War II?   Well, fortunately, someone decided to do just that, and in late May a festival took place – Rievocando Lucca, A Festival of History.

A call to arms for Roman soldiers

 The event took place on the city walls, a perfect way to present, in chronological order, a series of vignettes tracing Lucca’s history from pre-Roman/Etruscan times through the city’s liberation at the end of WWII.  Each stop along the walls featured costumed actors, period specific crafts and weapons, and representations of daily life during the time period.  The actors were a wealth of information, explaining the displays, answering questions, and demonstrating the use of tools and weapons.

 Some highlights:

The Roman Legionaires made camp along one section of the wall and they were fierce!  Dressed for battle, armed, and bearing shields, they made an impressive sight during the commander’s morning call to arms.  Marching through town one evening, they caused quite a stir with their chants and battle cries. 

 In the Medieval village, a candlemaker described the process and coloring agents used in making her candles. Nearby, a woodcarver demonstrated his skills.   The Medieval costumes were beautiful too.

Piazza Napoleone and the Ducal Palace, both created by Elisa Bonaparte.

 Napoleon also left a mark on Lucca’s history – gifting the city to his sister Elisa who ruled as the Princess of Lucca and Piombino in the early years of the 1800’s.  Her influence can still be seen in Lucca -  the largest piazza is the Piazza Napoleone and it sits in front of the Palazzo Ducale, the palace Elisa Bonaparte built.

 For the Rievocando festival, a Napoleonic camp was filled with French soldiers in their colorful uniforms.   Alongside were a group of French ladies taking tea, as they might have done once upon a time in the Palazzo Ducale.

 The final vignette was of WWII, during a time when American and Brazilian troops played an important role in and around Lucca.  It was American Buffalo soldiers who entered Lucca in September 1944, ending the occupation by Nazi forces.   

 Also fun was walking around town and seeing the many costumed participants having lunch or strolling the walls.  The weekend event provided little glimpses of Lucca as it once was. 

3 Days of Music and Flowers in Lucca

The last weekend in April was a busy one here in Lucca. The weekend began on Friday evening with the smallest of the weekend events – a performance by two choral groups in the Oratorio San Giuseppe, a small chapel built in the early 1500’s.  Napoleon once used it as a warehouse, but today it is a small performance space with a historic interior and great acoustics.  Better still, my favorite local a cappella group, Coro Puntaccapo, performed.  Their style is swing, classic and modern pieces, in both English and Italian.  I never miss a chance to see them perform. 

For this evening, they were joined by Coro Melisma, a large chorus from Göteborg, Sweden.  They came to Lucca with wonderful harmonies, full sound, vocal runs, and their dry, Swedish sense of humor.   Each group performed individually at first but later as an ensemble singing everything from swing to pop to something you might expect from a Swedish group – a three minute mash up of Abba songs.  A fun evening to kick off a busy weekend.  (video on IG two_parts_italy and on Facebook)

 Saturday, April 25th, was a national holiday in Italy, la Festa della Liberazione (Liberation Day), marking Italy’s liberation from Nazi Occupation at the end of WWII. 

There were local ceremonies to mark this important date in history, a wreath was placed at the war memorial, and, as a national holiday, many visitors came to celebrate.  

Another big event, the Santa Zita festival, was ongoing throughout the weekend.  An annual celebration for Lucca’s own very popular saint, the festival has two main components.  The first takes place inside the Basilica San Frediano where Santa Zita (yes, the actual saint’s body) is placed front and center so that people may pay homage to her.  

Santa Zita in the San Frediano Basilica

And because Santa Zita is known for the miracle of the flowers, the second event fills the Piazza in front of the church with a floral “island” and fills the nearby Piazza Anfiteatro with a flower market.  This is an event that I always look forward to, especially since my own superstition is that a visit to Santa Zita on this day guarantees that I will be in Lucca for the next year.  In my experience it is more effective than coins in the Trevi Fountain and I am not about to take a chance by skipping it!

Sunday afternoon brought more music, this time in Lucca’s Teatro del Giglio with a performance of Puccini’s opera Turandot, 100 years after it made its debut.

Turandot was Puccini’s final opera, as he died before its completion. The final scenes were completed by another Italian composer, Franco Alfano.

When the opera permiered, with Toscanini conducting, he stopped the performance at the point in the opera that marked the end of Puccini’s work, not performing those final scenes. The performance today chose to end in the same way, presenting the uncompleted work just as Puccini left it. The performance was wonderful with dramatic stage sets, unique costuming, tremendous voices, and of course a moving Nessun Dorma.

It seems there is always something happening in Lucca, especially at this time of year.