Colline Lucchesi wines
The Denominazione di Origine Controllata “Colline Lucchesi” white and red wines also boast an ancient history and a tradition of quality; their protection was one of the first to be guaranteed by a presidential decree daated 1968 and, with some subsequent modifications, the regulations governing the production of wines were brought into force by the ministerial decree of 8 July 1997.
The area of production extends from the municipalities of Lucca, Capannori and Porcari and it includes various areas and entire communities sucha as Castagnori, Forci, Pieve Santo Stefano, Mutigliano, Cappella, the area west of the Morianese, San Pancrazio, Matraia, Valgiano, San Colombano, Segromigno in Monte, Camigliano, Tofori, San Pietro a marcigliano, San Gennaro and Gragnano.
The Collin e Lucchesi red and white wines enjoy a particularly excellent climate and habitat, a variety of composition and an enological tradition that is based on the history and culture of the great Lucchese families. A significant example of this civilisation is the large fresco in the Buonvisi villa at Forci depicting the “Triumph of Bacchus” with the villa itself in the background, recognisable by the large portico facin g the valley.
But already in 1382 a contemporary of Dante’s, Antonio di Pace degli Orsi, described it as being a “tasty wine” and added: “the more I drink it, the more I want to drink it”.
Don’t forget the appointment with event “Vini della costa Toscana” on 8th and 9th may.
The olive and the hills
The Tuscan landscape, and the hills around Lucca In particular, is identified to a large extent by the presence of the olive tree.
Thousands of the years olde, these dignified trees with their generous foliage of silvery leaves that flutter in the slightest breeze, provide a pleasant contrast with the briallant greens of the mown terraces in the springtime, or with the dry, yellowish grass in the summer.
The characteristic contortions and irregularities given by yearly pruning the “topponature” and cleaning, give their grey trunks unpredictable shapes and forms.
The various operations that are regularly carried out, change, imperceptibly renew and perpetuate the value of human intervetion and at times the tree is given a form and appearance that is statuesque.
The olive has always been a symbol of peace and the fertility of the earth; it is an axample of the deep bond between man and the natural world, it is a sign of vitality and renewal. Its cultivation represents on of the major resources of the tuscan country and, together with the typical terraced slopes, it is a characteristic of the entire hill area.
It is said that the Greeks brought the olive to these slopes with their scant coverage of “humus”, but its wide diffusion is mainly linked to the hillside’s considerable transformation at the hands of Lucchese merchants. Investiments and the spread of cultivations continued until the beginning of the 20th century, but there has been a recovery in recent years and, as mentioned above, new interests.
The Accademia dei Rassicurati Theatre now belongs to the municipality and dates back to 1795; it was the work of the Florentine architect Antonio Capretti. Its presence could go completely unnoticed, situated as it is in the row of buildings on the block between via Cairoli and Via Carmignani.
It is entered through two small doors numbered 14 and 16 on via Carmignani and it consists of a small elliptical theatre surrounded by a double tier of 22 boxes in addition to four stage boxes and gallery; it has all the characteristics in miniature of an Opera House of the 18th and 19th centuries.
The tempera decorations of the outside of the boxes and the vaulted ceiling are charming, but very much retouched and in need of further work.
Miglianello
Miglianello is a little village immersed in the terraces of olive groves that cover the entire hillside.
The particular layout of the buildingis due to the fact that originally it was an Olivetan Monastery.
In the 18th century, the building was bought by the Papanti family. The complex has maintained the ancient characteristics of the original building; all that is left of the monastery is the olive mill and storerooms.
Inside there is a hall and two rooms with walls papered with prints of a wide variety of bird species: a “History of birds” of 1768 dedicated to grand duke Pietro Leopoldo, and of great interest to natural sciences scholars. Beside the villa there is a gothic-style church which may have been private chapel, built during the last century.
The Garden that extends from the hill behind the Pitti Palace as far as Porta Romana, reached its current extension and appearance, becoming one of the largest and most elegant Italian style gardens, through several stages of enlargement and restructuring work carried out at diffrent times.
The first works initially affected the area that was closer to the palace, after the buildung had been purchased by Cosimo I de´ Medici and by his wife Eleonora di Toledo, who had chosen this place for new grand ducal palace.
The initial plan was drawn by Niccolò Tribolo, although the works were completed, after his death in 1550 by other architects including also Giorgio Vasari (from 1554 to 1561) along with Bartolomeo Ammannati and Bernardo Buontalenti under the reign of Francis I, who succeeded to his father Cosimo.
The Medici and the Lorraine families continued to enrich and enlarge the garden also in 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Besides adding lovely meadows, avenues, small groves and beautiful panoramic views, they made the garden more precious by including extraordinary decorative complexes, thus forming an outdoor museum that exhibited both Roman and 16th and 17th century statues.
The first phase led to the creation of an “Amphitheatre” adjoined to the hill behind the palace. The early amphitheatre, initially formed by “edges and evergreen meadows”, was later replaced by a stone one decorated with statues based on Roman myths such as the Fountain of the Ocean sculptured by Giambologna, then transferred to another location within the same garden, the small “Grotto of Madama”, and the “Large Grotto”, which has begun by Vasari and ended by Ammannati and Buontalenti between 1583 and 1593.
Despite the fact that it is currently undergoing complex restoration work (1998) due to the damages suffered over centuries these statues continue to be remarkable examples of Mannerism architecture and culture.
Decorated internally and externally with stalatites and originally equipped with water plays and a luxuriant vegetation, the fountain is divided into three main sections.
The first one was frescoed to create the illusion of a natural grotto, that is a natural refuge to allow shepherds to protect themselves from wild animals, and originally housed the Prisoners of Michelangelo, which were moved to this location after they had become part of the Medici collection (the original statues have now been replaced by copies).
The rooms that follow exhibit valuable sculptures like the “Bathing Venus” of Giambologna and the group of “Paris and Hellen” of Vincenzo de Rossi.
NOTE:
Due to their very nature, these historical garden require costant restoration and maintenance.
A schedule has therefore been established which provide for their seasonal, yearly and long-term care through periodic renovation and upkeep.
Clearly, the architectural component and plant life are involved more frequently than the inorganic structures of the garden and its decorations, and although the different types of work are not necessarily interdipendent, they have been planned for during the same period of time.
Moreover, the need to safeguard sculptural works from degradation by atmospherical agents and vandalism often requires housing the originals indoors and replacing them with copies for display. Thus, the gardens’ furnishings are necessarily in an incomplete and costantly changing state.
