| Lucca Comics & Games | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Place | Lucca , Italy |
| Age | 1993 Lucca Comics - 1995 Lucca Comics and Games-today |
| Dates | late October-early November |
| Gender | Comics , animation , illustration ,video games , role-playing games |
| Staff | Lucca Comics & Games Francis Caredio (Chairman) Massimo Di Grazia and Nicholas Lucchesi (Directors) Renato Genovese (Director of the event) |
| Official website | Luccacomicsandgames |
Lucca Comics & Games is an exhibition dedicated to comics , to ' animation , games ( role-playing , board , card games ), to video games and the imaginary fantasy and science fiction , which takes place in Lucca in Tuscany , in the days to between October and November. It is considered the most important event in Italian industry [1] , second d ' Europe and third in the world after the Comiket in Tokyo and the Festival international de la bande dessinée d'Angoulême in France . [2] [3] [4] It has been estimated that during the 2011 edition have been sold 155,000 tickets [5] , with a peak of 50,000 visitors in one day Sunday, October 30 [6] , and generated revenue for the city for about 24 million Euros. [ 7]The 2012 edition broke the record set the previous year, recording sales of 182 217 tickets (considering the passes of more days as separate tickets), which would bring the attendance at the fair, even counting the 7,727 passes available to staff and exhibitors, with 212 217 visitors, with a peak of about 56,000 visitors for the day on Saturday, November 3rd [8] [9] . These records were still exceeded the edition of 2013, which has sold 217 646 tickets (including daily attendance of subscriptions) [10] , with a peak of over 70,000 in attendance on Friday 1 and Saturday, November 2, and if you count the credits you can reach the 264 454 total admissions [10] . Also in 2013, the organization always has estimated a total attendance, including not paying that have visited the exhibitions and participated in the free events, 380,000 visitors [10] .
Index
[ hide ]Organization
| The "hunt Macaluso" |
The "hunt Macaluso" is the event which traditionally closes the show. It is a collegiate event, restricted to staff the fair and not open to the public, but which has nevertheless gained a reputation as to be reported by different sources and quoted in The song of Lucca Comics & Games. [11] [12] [ 13] In conclusion, the last day of the fair, Alberto Macaluso, a member of the staff of Lucca Comics and Games srl"declared" show mascot since 1993 [14] , is literally chased into the pavilion of the Games, and once caught, bound and gagged, being given the chance to some of the event's guest authors to make drawings or autographs directly on his body. Renato Genovese, director of Lucca Comics & Games Ltd, confirmed that even the authors of the demonstrations foreign guests often ask to attend the hunt Macaluso, not just off the plane. [11]
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The event is organized annually by the Limited Liability Company Lucca Comics & Games, founded in 2004 , and managed from Lucca Holding [15]Previously the event was supervised directly by the city of Lucca. [16] President of Lucca Comics & Games Francis is Caredio, while the director of the event is Renato Genovese .
In recent years, Lucca Comics & Games has also organized other events related to the world of comics and animation. In 2008 and in 2009 was held Lucca Animation, international competition dedicated to animated films . The first edition was held April 22 to 26, and the second from 28 October to 1 November during the Lucca Comics & Games. From 25 to 27 April 2008 was organized Lucca Collecting, trade show dedicated to comics and rare collectibles.
In March 2012 , the Committee was founded Lucca City Comics, formed by Lucca Comics & Games Ltd, the Museum of comics and picture and by the Culture of Lucca, which aims to coordinate the activities of both institutions . [17] [18]
As published by Rinaldo Traini [19] , one of the creators of the show and for decades one of the curators, the current Lucca Comics & Games could no longer claim the title of International Exhibition of Comics , Film Animation and Illustration, because different entity, as the International Exhibition of Comics , owned by the ' Picture Association since 1994 was moved to Rome in the eventExpocartoon .
Orientation
It takes place every year between late October and early November in Lucca , in an area, in the latest editions of about 30,000 square meters, of which about 15,000 exhibition.
Participating in all the most important players in the industry and a growing number of specialty stores, comics and recreational and cultural associations. During the days of the exhibition market is teeming with a variety of events including concerts, screenings, meetings with authors, presentations, tournaments role-playing game live and cosplayer and performances dedicated to the field of comics and animation in general.
Both in Lucca Lucca Comics and Games can also find exhibitions and exhibition routes to major world artists or titles of works presented at the festival. Some of these exhibitions are held in the picturesque setting of the Renaissance city, within the same ancient buildings of Lucca.
Usually ships in which to hold exhibitions, are given the same names of places in the city in which they were placed (squares, buildings, roads).
History
Inaugurated in 1993 as Lucca Comics, exactly one year after the International Exhibition of Comics (which was in Lucca since 1966 ) had moved to Rome , only in 1996 changed its name toLucca Comics & Games. The event has been growing in importance from edition to edition.
The issue was definitely busier than the spring 1994 [20] , where for safety reasons it was delayed by a day the opening of the exhibition for the apparent deficiencies in the security systems of the Sports Hall, which is the largest pavilion in the area where the event is held at the time. From the second half of the 90s, the event annually.
In 1993 within Lucca Comics Lucca Games was born, an event at that time already a national reference point for the fields of comics and related. Originated by the intention of giving space to start a business sector - one of the game - close to that of the comic for customers and content, from the beginning is characterized by the presence of initiatives not only about the commercial world, but specifically aimed at adding attraction for the audience beyond the commercial exhibitors. In fact, with advancing years, are gradually introduced more and more activities such as competitions, tournaments and banquet, run directly by the organization and released by commercial exhibitors.
Mastering the original tournament, trophy Grog (for coloring thumbnails) and award for Best Unpublished Game (in addition to the award Best of Show for the best commercial game), are added in the 1995 Role Playing Games Without Frontiers and Championship Teams Role Play that continues today under the name of Ruolimpiadi. Instead, with the edition of 1998 which opens the Performance Space, dedicated to the live painting by guest artists. In the year 2000 instead sees the debut of the Independence Bay, an area dedicated to the fandom and self-production. Two years later, in 2002 , sees the light NKG Lucca Model Contest, a contest of model kit derived from the world of the game, the comic book and movie science fiction and fantasy .
Towards the end of the nineties, with the evolution and expansion of the turnover of role-playing games , video games , etc.., the Lucca Games section has so increased its weight within the fair, exhibition spaces and attractive of the public, which in 2000 changed its name to the entire event officially becoming Lucca Comics and Games.
Starting from the 2006 , on the occasion of the 40 years since the birth of the festival and for the first time since 1982 , the lease of the whole show was moved to the center of the city, within the walls of Lucca, rather than at the 'exhibition area via the Cut.
The year 2008 saw the debut of Lucca Games Educational and Prototype Review Corner : The first is a new section of the event, which gathers seminars and educational activities, while the second allows authors amateurs, whether they like it, of present authors and publishers a prototype game developed by them for evaluation.
Currently is proud to be the third most popular comics in the world after the Comiket in Tokyo , the Festival international de la bande dessinée d'Angoulême , just in front of the Comi-con in San Diego .
Areas of the fair
Lucca Comics
Historically the main area of the fair, the area Comics welcomes anything that directly concerns the international comics and animation, although with the passing of years and editions, the area has gained equal importance Games. Due to its importance in the territory each year participate in the event almost all the national specialized publishing houses, as well as numerous exhibitors, retailers and specialty stores, arranged in several pavilions.
The area Comics in fact, in the disposition of the city walls, is divided into several areas: Piazza Napoleone, Piazza San Martino, Piazza del Giglio, Piazza San Giovanni, Piazza San Martino and Corso Garibaldi.Finally, in the square of the College, at the former Royal College, is set up the Japan Palace, one of the focal points of the entire event. Here, in addition to numerous exhibitors, various events are organized and "showcase" of the world of comics. The 'Area Self is dedicated to amateur self-productions and projects, which are being hosted at the Pavilion Passaglia Piazza Napoleone. [21]
As part of the Lucca Comics are held two ceremonies: the Great Guinigi , prizes awarded by a panel of experts in various members of the comic industry and the Lucca Project Contest organized together with Edizioni BD and intended for aspiring cartoonists Italian. The award is named after Giovanni Martinelli. [22]
In the edition of 2013 has been added to the section Comic Artist Area, an area specially designed for artists and professional designers so that they can draw and meet the public, outside of the commercial logic of the other halls.
Lucca Games
| Grog |
The character of Grog, pictured here, is the mascot of "Lucca Games" section of the "Lucca Comics & Games" dedicated to role-playing games , thegames , the card games and thegames . The character was invented by Renato Genovese in 1989 , on the occasion of the birth of the saga of Vorodin, and four years later, in 1993 was associated with the manifestation of Lucca, in a new reinterpretation designed by Roberto Giomi . In 2003 , to celebrate 10 years of "Lucca Games," Grog was restyled again, this time at the hands of Marco Bianchini . In 2013 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the event, Grog was again remodeled by Mark Soresina in 3D graphics , which also made him the hero of two short films in 3D animation , presented at Lucca Comics & Games 2013. [23]
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Due to its position on the national scene, the Games area attracts a large number of exhibitors, sectors closely linked not only by the scope of the game but, in general, connected to game culture, science fiction and fantastic.
Although very briefly, given the difficult classifications, exhibitors Lucca Games can be divided into four types: authors and publishers of games, games retailers and specialty stores, associations and independent realities, artists and craftsmen.
In addition to the events offered by the exhibitors, Lucca Games also organizes every year, directly, a series of events related to the world of the game as tournaments, prizes, competitions and seminars. The award Best of Show is the award for the leading products in the game industry, awarded by a jury to the game considered best among those submitted by publishers in various categories.
The award for Best Unpublished Game is instead focused on independent authors and amateur. It proposes, as a prize for the best presented prototype, the publication of the same by the publisher Da Vinci Games, and its distribution by also Lucca Games. This competition gives the connotation of "springboard" for many authors debut, Italian and foreign.
The Grog Trophy for coloring Thumbnail rewards the best filmmakers in the field of miniatures game of each manufacturer and setting, with hundreds of pieces entered in the various categories. It has over time become something of a national showcase for the best painters of miniatures, which will report annually their jobs.
New Generation Kit - Lucca Model Contest is a competition for the world instead of the pure model, albeit fantastic theme and science fiction. Organized by the New Generation Kit Community, is held directly by the Municipality of Lucca by Lucca Games. In addition to the competition, the competition also develops a wide exposure of the models competing in the halls, to the vote of the jury.
The Tournament Mastering , aimed at enthusiasts Role Playing, it is an event that has been around since the first editions of Lucca Games. The Committee may participate in any master (or caretaker, storyteller ...) takes a play session at the fair, by subscribing to a list of participation at the secretariat of the toy library. The evaluation mechanism is based on questions asked by the organization to the players after the end of the game session.
Also in the world of role-playing, are held each year at Lucca Games Ruolimpiadi (ex Role Playing Without Borders), the Italian national championship teams of Role Playing and storytelling. During all days of the fair, the participating teams take their games, involving players from other teams. With time, the Ruolimpiadi have become a real meeting place for players to play role in all of Italy, with teams from the major historical and honors every year new entrants.
The latest addition, with the 2008 edition, was that of a structure dedicated to seminars and training: Educational Lucca Games . In it are collected in a specific program training sessions held by the guests of the event, the pavilions with a dedicated branch for greater peace of mind. Registration will take place before the days of the fair, allowing a limited number of selected access and, as a guarantee of higher quality of the training sessions, after which the participants receive a formal certificate of participation. Also in 2008 was the launch of the Prototype Review Corner . Authors amateurs, be they amateurs or people who have decided groped the "big jump" in the world of professional, they can show the prototypes of games created by them helping authors and publishers Italian and international, in order to draw opinions, advice and information useful for its completion.
Lucca Junior
Lucca Junior represents the area of the event dedicated to young audiences and schools. Every edition of Lucca Junior is combined with a competition for aspiring young cartoonists and illustrators
Lucca Cosplay & Music (Ex-Lucca Comics & Music)
Music and Comics is the area of the exhibition dedicated to live performances, not necessarily musical, which are held on the stage at the bastion of San Paolino.Dal June 19th 2012 the official name is no longerMusic & Comics Music & Cosplay but, as announced on profile facebook event. [24] Usually in this area from early afternoon until late evening they perform various musical groups and singers, whose repertoire is related to the culture of Comics & Games. During the afternoon of performing a cover band and smaller groups, while in the evening you can watch the most famous singers and groups, such as Cristina D'Avena , Giorgio Vanni, Enzo Draghi or Superobots .
Are held in this area also other kinds of performances, and especially the competition takes place Cosplayorganized by the cultural Flash Gordon [25] , which is open to individual and group, and that in recent years, it was decided to develop two days because of the high number of participants. The winners of the competition have the opportunity to participate in the European Cosplay Gathering cosplayer contest held during theJapan Expo in Paris . [26]
In some years, was also made a theme song of the show. In 2005 , for example, has been made the song The magic that makes it fly, written and performed by the duo Tuscan of Kimagure . The song was later released on CD single produced by Confidential Records and Music City Records. [27] In2009 it was instead Edoardo Vianello to interpret the theme song for the show, entitled Planet Comics and composed by Thomas Vito . The song relies on the collaboration of the Rainbow Choir of Lucca , and was included in the album Superhits Cartoons, produced by Thomas and Rai Trade and Lucca Comics & Games. ditty of the Lucca Comics & Games is instead a song written and performed by cosplayer Massimiliano Poggi in 2006 and distributed free and linked on various websites, including the official one of the 2007 [28] . The song, while not "official", has become immensely popular among fans of the event, so as to induce the organization to entrust the realization of the acronym Poggi edition of the 2012 event, entitled Lucca Cosplay. [29 ] [30]
Japan Palace
Since 2007, we have created a new area dedicated to the Japanese world present in various forms at the Festival, ranging from gadgets to manga, from animation to video games, from traditional handicrafts to food, from martial arts to fashion.
The area in question has moved several times to grow more and more, starting from the courtyard of the Swiss and passing through Piazza San Romano (under the name of Area Japan for the first and second year), up to the Royal College (with new name Japan Palace).
Lucca Movie, Comics & Games
Opened in 2011 , this area of the exhibition is dedicated to the world of film . Set up at the Porch of the Praetorian Palace, are hosted daily national premieres of some films that will be distributed in the Italian language in the following months. In 2011 were made preview of Easy! , Immortals [31] , Real Steel [32] and The sighs of my heart . [33] In 2012 were projected to previews of Pinocchio, Asterix and Obelix at the service of His Majesty , Moonrise Kingdom , The hill of poppies [34] , Looper , Code Name: Geronimo , Frankenweenie , Hotel Transylvania , Red Lights , Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Part 1 - The beginning of the story and Berserk, The Golden Age - L 'Egg of the King Ruler , as well as short extracts Ralph Spaccatutto , Django Unchained and Iron Man 3 .On October 26, 2012 was circulated online the complete calendar of premieres, complete with location and screening times. [35] In the edition of 2013 were screened: Madoka Magica - Part 2 - The Neverending Story , RIO 2096: A Story of Love and Fury , Wolf Children - Ame and Yuki: Children wolf , Songs of the gallows , My Little Pony - Equestria Girls , -Wrinkles Wrinkles , The Art of Happiness , Prisoners , Machete Kills , My Neighbor Totoro , Sharknado , Ender's Game , Thor: The Dark World , X-Men Origins - Wolverine and Wolverine - The Immortal , Frankenstein and some trailers, extracts or special on Godzilla , 300: Rise of an Empire , The Lego Movie , The Amazing Spider-Man , Need for Speed , Captain Harlock , Frozen - The kingdom of ice , Planes ,Ever After High , Divergent , The Wolf of Wall Street , A fantastic goings , Stay away from me , The mafia kills only in summer , Brain drain and The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey . They were also sent a few episodes of the seventh season of The Big Bang Theory , Wakfu , Shin Getter Robot against Neo Getter Robot , Sword Art Online , Mazinkaiser and Psycho-Pass .
Cosplay
The first cosplay in Italy have been attested at the beginning of the nineties , although by the end of the eighties were recorded events, mostly related to the world of Star Trek where fans dressed as the characters work. However, the "official" birth of cosplay in Italy is generally traced back to 1997 , when it was organized the first race cosplay at Lucca Comics & Games. [36] [37] The event is considered the largest in Italy for the sector, able to attract a large number of cosplayers. In 2005 about 3,500 visitors were counted in cosplay [36] , compared to just 300 in 2002 [36] .
Mainly cosplayers are more women than men (in a ratio of 3 to 5 [36] ), aged between 15 and 35 years [36] , although often in groups of cosplay are also involved children for reasons "scenic" and although often the cosplayers "professionals" as Giorgia Vecchini sforino this range. Lucca Comics & Games because of its size and its special connotation of its location, makes it possible to move around the city cosplayer wearing the costume. This is a unique feature of the Lucca Comics & Games distinguishes it compared to other comic conventions that are turning indoors or special pavilions and in which the cosplayers generally come in regular clothes and then change on the spot. [36]
In the two days of greater affluence of the Lucca Comics, Saturday and Sunday, the race takes place in the cosplay organized by flashgordon. The first race was held in 1997 . The competition is open to individuals, couples or entire groups and the winners have the opportunity to participate in the European Cosplay Gathering, a prestigious contest for cosplayers to be held during the Japan Expo in Paris . [26] The participants may interpret the cosplay characters taken from comics, cartoons, video games, movies or TV shows, historical or mythological figures, or characters of Japanese music. Characters are not allowed in international music or original costumes. [38]
Guests
Since the first edition, the presence of well-known names publishing playful and allied areas - such as illustration and fantasy literature - was one of the points to which the organization has focused Lucca Comics & Games, using it as a driving force for build and expand the cultural offer of the event, and to consolidate its importance. Each edition is therefore characterized by a strong presence of Italian guests, European and international, and their presence is part of the activities not related to purely commercial event, and is strongly devoted to the promotion of the cultural aspects of the game between visitors with workshops, exhibitions and public meetings.
According to a long-standing practice, each edition has three guests of honor to hold three types: publishers / game publishers, illustrators and graphic artists, writers and screenwriters themed fantasy and / or sci-fi. These guests are usually selected for the invitation to contribute to constitute the main theme edition in which they participate.
The three guests of honor of each edition is joined by other guests, varying in number, ranging for all the various fields of interest Lucca Games: emerging authors, illustrators, sculptors miniatures, players and experts of the game in general.
The activities related to the guests during the days of the fair are attributable to eight types:
- Exhibition: Exhibition of fixed elements such as games, artwork and writings, usually celebrations of anniversaries or celebrating the career of a particular host;
- Public meetings: for the announcement of a new product, or to take stock of consolidated assets that see the guest as a reference;
- Activities at the fair: painters and illustrators depict live in a special area of the pavilion, dealing directly with the audience;
- Lectures and seminars: teaching and educational events aimed at the comparison and exchange of knowledge between speaker and participants on a particular subject;
- Question & Answer: public meetings to learn about and discuss the guest on his activities and his works;
- Interview: mainly for international guests, their presence in Lucca is an opportunity to give interviews to the press;
- Autograph sessions: now the usual times for those who want to get an autograph from the host his work (play, painting, book, etc.).
- Examination of prototypes: amateur authors of games offer guests the prototypes of their implementation, in order to obtain assessments, evaluations and recommendations.
All activities of the guests in Lucca Games are included in a program for the days of the fair, and are open to all visitors with the exception of lectures and seminars, for which it is fixed with a limited number of pre-registration and selection based curriculum the theme. Participation in all activities is included in the entrance ticket at Lucca Comics & Games.
In the latest edition, with the significant increase in the influx of registered public after the relocation within the city center, guests direct organization of Lucca Games were joined by guests that publishing houses and individual exhibitors lead to increase in Lucca la propria visibilità nei programmi della manifestazione. This lucky trigger a virtuous cycle has allowed us to further expand the cultural offer of meetings, seminars and exhibitions for visitors.
Editions
Performance of the total number of visitors (in thousands)
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This article is about the city. For the videogame character, see Lucca (Chrono Trigger). For the footballer, see Lucca Borges de Brito.
| Lucca | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Comune | |||
| Comune di Lucca | |||
 | |||
| |||
 
Lucca
| |||
| Coordinates: 43°51′N 10°30′E | |||
| Country | Italy | ||
| Region | Tuscany | ||
| Province | Lucca (LU) | ||
| Frazioni | see list | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Alessandro Tambellini (PD) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 185.5 km2 (71.6 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 19 m (62 ft) | ||
| Population (30 November 2012)[1] | |||
| • Total | 87,467 | ||
| • Density | 470/km2 (1,200/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym | Lucchesi | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Postal code | 55100 | ||
| Dialing code | 0583 | ||
| Patron saint | St. Paulinus | ||
| Saint day | July 12 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
Lucca (Italian pronunciation: [ˈlukka] (
)) is a city and comune in Tuscany, Central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near theTyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the province of Lucca. It is famous among other things for its intact Renaissance-era city walls.[2][3]
)) is a city and comune in Tuscany, Central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near theTyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the province of Lucca. It is famous among other things for its intact Renaissance-era city walls.[2][3]History[edit]
Ancient and medieval city[edit]
Lucca was founded by the Etruscans (there are traces of a pre-existing Ligurian settlement) and became a Roman colony in 180 BC. The rectangular grid of its historical centre preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient forum. Traces of the amphitheatre can still be seen in the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro.
At the Lucca Conference, in 56 BC, Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus reaffirmed their political alliance known as the First Triumvirate.[4]
Frediano, an Irish monk, was bishop of Lucca in the early 6th century.[5] At one point, Lucca was plundered by Odoacer, the first Germanic King of Italy. Lucca was an important city and fortress even in the 6th century, when Narses besieged it for several months in 553. Under theLombards, it was the seat of a duke who minted his own coins. The Holy Face of Lucca (or Volto Santo), a major relic supposedly carved byNicodemus, arrived in 742. During the 8th - 10th centuries Lucca was a center of Jewish life, the Jewish community being led by the Kalonymos family (which at some point during this time migrated to Germany to become a major component of proto-Ashkenazic Jewry). Lucca became prosperous through the silk trade that began in the 11th century, and came to rival the silks of Byzantium. During the 10–11th centuries Lucca was the capital of the feudal margraviate of Tuscany, more or less independent but owing nominal allegiance to the Holy Roman Emperor.
First republic[edit]
Main article: Republic of Lucca
After the death of Matilda of Tuscany, the city began to constitute itself an independent commune, with a charter in 1160. For almost 500 years, Lucca remained an independent republic. There were many minor provinces in the region between southern Liguria and northern Tuscany dominated by the Malaspina; Tuscany in this time was a part of feudal Europe. Dante’s Divine Comedy includes many references to the great feudal families who had huge jurisdictions with administrative and judicial rights. Dante spent some of his exile in Lucca.
In 1273 and again in 1277, Lucca was ruled by a Guelph capitano del popolo (captain of the people) named Luchetto Gattilusio. In 1314, internal discord allowed Uguccione della Faggiuola of Pisa to make himself lord of Lucca. The Lucchesi expelled him two years later, and handed over the city to another condottiere Castruccio Castracani, under whose rule it became a leading state in central Italy. Lucca rivalled Florence until Castracani's death in 1328. On 22 and 23 September 1325, in the battle of Altopascio, Castracani defeated Florence's Guelphs. For this he was nominated by Louis IV the Bavarian to become duke of Lucca. Castracani's tomb is in the church of San Francesco. His biography isMachiavelli's third famous book on political rule. In 1408, Lucca hosted the convocation intended to end the schism in the papacy. Occupied by the troops of Louis of Bavaria, the city was sold to a rich Genoese, Gherardino Spinola, then seized by John, king of Bohemia. Pawned to the Rossi of Parma, by them it was ceded to Martino della Scala of Verona, sold to the Florentines, surrendered to the Pisans, and then nominally liberated by the emperor Charles IV and governed by his vicar. Lucca managed, at first as a democracy, and after 1628 as an oligarchy, to maintain its independence alongside of Venice and Genoa, and painted the word Libertas on its banner until the French Revolution in 1789.[6]
After Napoleonic conquest[edit]
Lucca had been the second largest Italian city state (after Venice) with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries.
In 1805, Lucca was conquered by Napoleon, who installed his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi as "Queen of Etruria".
After 1815 it became a Bourbon-Parma duchy. The only duke of Lucca was Charles II, Duke of Parma, though between 1815 and 1824 his mother, Maria Luisa of Spain, was a regent. After his death, in 1847, Lucca lost independence and became part of Tuscany and finally part of the Italian State.
Main sights[edit]
The walls around the old town remained intact as the city expanded and modernized, unusual for cities in the region. As the walls lost their military importance, they became a pedestrian promenade which encircled the old town, although they were used for a number of years in the 20th century for racing cars. They are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species.
The Academy of Sciences (1584) is the most famous of several academies and libraries.
The Casa di Puccini was re-opened to the public on 14 September 2011.[7] At the nearby town ofTorre del Lago, there is a Puccini opera festival every year in July/August. Puccini had a house there as well.
There are many richly built medieval basilica-form churches in Lucca with rich arcaded façades and campaniles, a few as old as the 8th century.
- Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
- Piazzale Verdi
- Piazza Napoleone
- Piazza San Michele
- Duomo di San Martino (St Martin's Cathedral)
- The Ducal Palace, built on the location of Castruccio Castracani's fortress. The original project was begun by Bartolomeo Ammannati in 1577–1582, and continued by Filippo Juvarra in the 18th century.
- The ancient Roman amphitheatre
- Church of San Michele in Foro
- Romanesque church of San Giusto.
- Basilica di San Frediano
- Church of Sant'Alessandro,[8] an example of medieval classicism
- Torre delle ore ("The Clock Tower")
- Casa and Torre Guinigi - The Guinigi Tower with oak trees on top
- Museo Nazionale Guinigi
- Museo e Pinacoteca Nazionale
- Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca, a botanical garden dating from 1820
- Palazzo Pfanner
- Villa Garzoni, noted for its water gardens.
- Church of San Giorgio in the locality of Brancoli, built in the late 12th century. It has a nave and two aisles with a single apse, and a bell tower in Lombard-Romanesque style ranked among the most beautiful in northern Italy. The interior houses a massive ambo (1194) with four columns mounted on notable sculptures of lions. Also having notable medieval decoration is the octagonal baptismal fount. The altar is supported by six small columns with human figures
- Church of San Michele, at Antraccoli. Founded in 777, it was enlarged in the 12th century and modified again in the 16th century with the introduction of a portico.
- Passeggiata delle Mura Urbane, a street all over the city on the bastions. It passes from these balconies: Santa Croce, San Frediano, San Martino, San Pietro/Battisti, San Salvatore, La Libertà/Cairoli, San Regolo, San Colombano, Santa Maria, San Paolino/Catalani, and San Donato; also pass over these gates: Porta San Donato, Porta Santa Maria, Porta San Jocopo, Porta Elisa, Porta San Pietro, and Porta Sant'Anna.
- Church of Santa Giulia, of Lombard origins, but remade in the 13th century.
- The fortified city is surrounded by the streets of: Piazzale Boccherini, Viale Lazzaro Papi, Viale Carlo Del Prete, Piazzale Martiri della Libertà, Via Batoni, Viale Agostino Marti, Viale G. Marconi (vide Guglielmo Marconi), Piazza Don A. Mei, Viale Pacini (vide Pacini), Viale Giusti, Piazza Curtatone, Piazzale Ricasoli, Viale Ricasoli, Piazza Risorgimento (vide Risorgimento) and Viale Giosuè Carducci (vide Giosuè Carducci).
Culture[edit]
Lucca is the birthplace of composers Giacomo Puccini (La Bohème and Madama Butterfly), Nicalao Dorati, Francesco Geminiani, Gioseffo Guami, Luigi Boccherini, and Alfredo Catalani. It is also the birthplace of Bruno Menconi and artist Benedetto Brandimarte.
Museums[edit]
- National Museum of Villa Guinigi
- Museum of Villa Mansi
- Museo della Cattedrale
- Lu.C.C.A. Lucca Center of Contemporary Art
- Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca
Events[edit]
Lucca annually hosts the Lucca Summer Festival. The 2006 edition saw Eric Clapton, Placebo, Massive Attack, Roger Waters, Tracy Chapmanand Santana play live in the Piazza Napoleone.
Lucca hosts the annual Lucca Comics and Games festival, Italy's largest festival for comics and related subjects.
Other events include:
- Lucca Film Festival[9]
- Lucca Digital Photo Fest[10]
- Procession of Santa Croce, on 13 of September. Costume procession through the town's roads.
- Lucca Jazz Donna[11]
Film and television[edit]
Lucca was featured on Top Gear during a Hot Hatch comparison in Episode 2 of Season 17. The city's narrow and one-way street layout played a large role in the segment.
International relations[edit]
Abingdon, United Kingdom
Colmar, France
Gogolin, Poland
Schongau, Germany
Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lucca Sicula, Italy- Panther's Contrade, Siena
South San Francisco, United States of America
People[edit]
- St. Anselm of Lucca, (1036–1086), bishop of Lucca
- Giovanni Arnolfini, merchant and arts patron
- Pompeo Batoni, painter
- Simone Bianchi, comics artist[12]
- Luigi Boccherini, musician and composer
- Elisa Bonaparte, ruler of Lucca
- Castruccio Castracani, ruler of Lucca (1316–1328)
- Alfredo Catalani, composer
- Gusmano Cesaretti, photographer and artist
- Mario Cipollini, cyclist
- Matteo Civitali, sculptor
- Ivan Della Mea, singer-songwriter
- Theodor Döhler, composer and pianist; lived in Lucca from 1827–1829
- Ernesto Filippi, football referee
- Saint Frediano
- St. Gemma Galgani, mystic and saint
- Tejay van Garderen, cyclist
- Francesco Geminiani, musician and composer
- Agostino Giuntoli, nightclub owner and entrepreneur
- Gioseffo Guami, composer
- Pope Lucius III
- Vincenzo Lunardi, pioneer aeronaut [13]
- Felice Matteucci, engineer
- Leo Nomellini, athlete
- Marcello Pera, politician and philosopher
- Giacomo Puccini, composer
- Marco Rossi, athlete
- Renato Salvatori, actor
- Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre, founded the Torani syrup company in San Francisco using Luccan recipes from their hometown
- Rolando Ugolini, athlete
- Giuseppe Ungaretti, poet
- Antonio Vallisneri, scientist and physician
- Alfredo Volpi, painter
- Saint Zita
- Zita of Bourbon-Parma, last Empress of Austria
