The Montechiari hill
The Montechiari hill is the highest point in the municipal territory of Montecarlo, situated on a beautiful tuscan hill(186,8 m a.s.l.). The fortified village that once stood here, with a gate, moat and bridge, was part of the defence system for the entire ridge of the hills. There was also a seven-metre high tower with a bell that rang out from the top of it.
The village was set alight by the inhabitants in December 1429 to prevent it from falling into the hands of their Florentine enemy. Today, the hillside is covered with the vineyards of the farm of the same name.
Quality of life in Lucca.
In the province of Lucca, as in the rest of Tuscany as a whole, people recognise, and have, a good quality of life both for those who invest and work in the teritory as well as those who simply whish to spend some time here in the name of culture, countryside, sea and as a means of visiting other important places in Tuscany.
The province of Lucca occupied 31st position in the national table for quality of life, taking into account indicators such as the way of life, work and business, services and the environment, the population and leisure time.
The families of Lucca have an average disposable income, taken as the sum of the active resources which each family sets aside for the acquisition of goods and servis and for saving, which puts them under the regional average (6th place among the provinces of Tuscany), even if close to the national average, which is strongly penalised by the income of the families from the South of Italy.
Compared with this the average assets of the families of Lucca i.e. the total of real assets (houses, land) and financial assets (financial and property investments), is in second place in the regional classification behind Siena. 63% of these assets are represented by property and 37% by investments and other financial assets.
The overview of the affluence of our province sees a quite low level of income but with quite high values of assets.
This aspect of the assets is probably explained by the historic propensity of lucca families to save manoey and to invest in property, while the income aspect is ascribable, at least in part, to the lack in the province of large employment structures with medium -high wages.
Pievana at San Pancrazio in Tuscany
The Church of San Pancrazio in Tuscany is a 10th century baptisimal church. It is situated in Lucca area.
It is built in stone and has a nave and no aisles; the apse and the facade are surmounted by suspended arches. Its current layout is the result of restoration work carried out in 1855 which eliminated the additions that had been made throughout the century.
Opera y Flamenco2 May Jun’ichi Hirokami directs the Orchestra della Toscana, Brahms op. 77 – 5 May Orchestra della Toscana with soloists.
Strauss Dance of the Seven Veils and Finale from Salomè op 54 Stravinsky The Firebird (1919 version) 14 May
Giovanni Allevi premiere. Italian composer and pianist 17 and 18 May Teatro del Maggio 73rd Season
Full programme and information on www.maggiofiorentino.com
TEATRO COMUNALE Via Solferino 15 – Tel. +39 055 27791
Die Frau Ohne Schatten Three act opera by R. Strauss Zubin Metha directs the Maggio Orchestra 15.30 on 2 may, 19.30 on 5 and 8 May. Saechsiche Staatskapelle Dresden Zubin Metha conducts Brahms Piano Concerto n. 2 in B Flat Major Op. 83 Strauss Also Sprach Zarathrusta Op. 30.20.30 on 10 May. Rufus Wainwright 21.30 on 13 may. Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail Mozart’s Turkish opera 20.30 on 14, 19 and 21 May, 15.30 on 16 May. Daniel Barenboim (piano) Chopin 20.30 on 24 May. Zubin Metha conducts with Daniel Barenboim (piano) Bartok and Chopin 25 May. Long Yu conductor and Saleem Abboud Ashkar (piano) Tan Dun Internet symphony, Mendelssohn, Dvorak 20.30 on 29 May. Gerswin Songs for Jazz quintet and orchestra with Enrico Rava Quintet, 20.30 on 1 June.
