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The Renaissance city walls of Lucca

The Walls of Lucca depicting the symbol of the city that stands out in the world both for its historical value and for the artistic and monumental beauty.

The construction of Lucca‘s walls dates back to the Renaissance period from the early sixteenth century to the mid-seventeenth century and to this day has been preserved intact.

Architecturally, the walls are composed of twelve curtains in the embankment, which join together eleven bulwarks with brick ornament, twelve meters high and thirty wide basis. It extends for more than four kilometers, creating a large and lovely urban park, within which we can observe the presence of mature trees including oaks, chestnut trees, plane trees, hackberry.

Growing on the circle of walls are centuries-old trees which, since the beginning, were planted to consolidate the enormous mass of earth. In the 19th century Duchess Maria Luisa of Bourbon commissioned the royal architect Lorenzo Nottolini to arrange the walls definitively as a public walkway. Still today, they are one of the favourite walking places in Lucca.

With the loss of the defensive purpose of the city, the walls were converted for civilian use in the early decades of the nineteenth century, transforming the curtains of the fortification in the current city promenade. In total respect of the cultural value of the monument, the Walls of Lucca still slow to their appeal for both citizens and tourists, thus stating suitability and merit, involving the whole city to the participation of numerous events, exhibitions and events that choose this place to present their initiatives and activities.

The Walls of Lucca, in addition to being the greatest example of modern fortification in Europe, are also an urban resource of great importance for the whole city within which its citizens choose to live these open spaces to spend free time having sports activities, walks and meetings.

This mix of peace and energy inevitably involves the large number of tourists who, every day, choose this place as ideal for a stroll through the trees. This will give you the chance to rediscover the way a green space can be cleverly inserted in an urban context and to fully enjoy the picturesque view from the top of the famous towers and church steeples that rise from the rooftops.