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| Lucca, the walled city |
Back before Italy became unified as a single republic, it
was composed of much smaller city-states, like how the Vatican is now. Florence
and Pisa were two very powerful city-states, each attempting to expand their empire.
In an act of self-defense, Lucca constructed a wall around their city. Behind
the layer of bricks are grassy hills, protecting and strengthening the walls in
case of cannon fire. Furthermore, trees were cleared from several miles around
the city to facilitate sightlines. On top of all this, there was a large moat
that could be flooded in the event of an attack. Presumably, due to these
protective measures, the city was never attacked by the Florentines.
During Napoleonic times, the emperor sent his sister to the
city to rule over the people. She agreed to set up shop in the local castle.
There was only one problem with this plan; Lucca didn’t have a castle because
they were a proud republic. They only had government buildings. Duchess Elisa instituted
a massive reconstruction project to turn the buildings into a suitable
residence. She also tore down several other buildings in front of her home so
she could have a square in which to walk and to view from her windows. The
palace and square remain, and it is a favorite place for locals to congregate.
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| Trees in Duchess Elisa's square. |
At lunch time, Wanda let us out for free time, after giving
a recommendation on places to eat and reminding us when and where to meet the
bus. Joe and I first went to a jewelry store to buy some charms for my
bracelet, and then headed to the delicious hole-in-the-wall pizza joint Wanda
mentioned. After 2nd helpings of the fare we wandered off on our
own, vaguely in the direction of a food market she pointed out during the tour.
After getting turned around a couple times we arrived at the market, a bustle of
activity with new sights, sounds, and smells all vying for our attention. The
market was laid out under the eaves in a courtyard, making a square. We walked
a loop and tried out various meats, cheeses, biscotti, and liqueurs, as the
shop keepers were only too happy to hand out free samples. We purchased some Christmas
presents, had a few snacks, and then met the bus for our next adventure.
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