Gualdo (near Massarosa)
The road to the village climbs through a dense, centuries old wood from which Gualdo takes its name (Waldum is the German word for wood). The village is mentioned in a document dated 1099, when a “villa” subject to the Jus of San martino, to which Massarosa still belonged, was situated here. In 1224 the church at Gualdo was attacked by the vassals of the lords of Montemagno; the pope humself had to intervene to bring an end to the dispute.
In 1266 the government of Gualdo declared its independence from the podestà of Massarosa and it drew up its own statute which represented the first important statement by a municipal body in the entire territory of Lucca. The village had a castle, of which very little remains, and it was probably situated where the church now stands. The church of saints Nicolao and Giusto is mentioned in documents of the 13th century, but it was replaced in the 16th century by the present building, which was enalrged in the 18th century in the baroque style and restored in 1912.
The village has preserved its medieval character, with narrow streets climbing up to the top of the hill on which the castle stood. There are many ancient stone houses with small doors and windows, and with a few elegant buildings situated between them. At the top of the mountain there is the small village square of splendid simplicity and harmony.
Luciano
Luciano is a small village with an exceptional position with a view of the Tyrrhenian coastline and wide section of the Versilia plain.
A narrow road crosses the entire length of the little village and at on either side there are numerous villas with their sober, elegant facades.
Every villa has a garden with flower beds and trees and they are almost like open-air drawing rooms with a view of the sea.
Amongst these: Villa Del Magro, with its austere facade, short stairway from the road and box hedges in the garden that looks out at the view; villa Cervelli, hidden behiand the thick vegetation of its garden; villa Pellegrini, also has a marvellous view of the Versilia coastline. All these country villas had their own family chapel, olive mill, lemon house and walled kitchen garden.
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. It is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world. Parma is divided into two parts by the little stream with the same name. Parma’s Etruscan name was adapted by Romans to describe the round shield called Parma.
It has many sights to see:
Churches
▪ The Romanesque Cathedral houses both 12th century sculpture by Benedetto Antelami and a 16th century fresco masterpiece by Antonio da Correggio.
▪ The Baptistery, adjacent to the cathedral was begun in 1196 by Antelami.
▪ The abbey church of Saint John the Evangelist (San Giovanni Evangelista), was originally constructed in the 10th century behind the Cathedral’s apse, but had to be rebuilt in 1498 and 1510 after a fire. It has a late Mannerist facade and a belltower designed by Simone Moschino), and retains its Latin cross plan, a nave and two aisles. In 1520–1522, Correggio frescoed the dome with the Vision of St. John the Evangelist, a highly influential fresco which heralded illustionistic perspective in the decoration of church ceilings. Bernardo Falconi designed a putto in the high altar. Also the cloisters and the ancient Benedictine grocery are noteworthy. The library has books from the 15th and 16th centuries.
▪ Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata.
▪ The Benedictine Monastery of San Paolo, founded in the 11th century. It houses precious frescoes by Correggio, in the so-called Camera di San Paolo (1519–1520), and Alessandro Araldi.
▪ The Gothic church of San Francesco del Prato (13th century). From Napoleonic era to 1990s it was the city’s jail, for which the 16 windows in the facade were opened. The original rose windows (1461) has 16 rays, which, in the medieval tradition, represented the house of God. The Oratory of the Concezione houses frescoes by Michelangelo Anselmi and Francesco Rondani. The altarpiece by Girolamo Mazzola Bedoli is now in the National Gallery of Parma.
▪ Church of Santa Croce, dating to the early 12th century. The original edifice, in Romanesque style, had a nave and two aisles with a semicircular apse. This was renovated first in 1415 and again in 1635–1666, with the heightening of the aisles and nave, the addition of a bresbytery, a dome and of the chapel of St. Joseph. The frescoes in the nave (by Giovanni Maria Conti della Camera, Francesco Reti and Antonio Lombardi) date to this period.
▪ Church of San Sepolcro, built in 1275 over a pre-existing religious edifice. The church was largely renovated in 1506, 1603 and 1701, when the side on the Via Emilia was remade in Neoclassicist style. The church has a nave with side chapels. The Baroque bell tower was built in 1616, the cups being finished in 1753. Annexed is the former monastery of the Rrgular Canons of the Lateran, dating to 1493–1495.
▪ Church of Santa Maria del Quartiere (1604–1619), characterized by a usual hexagonal plan. The cupola is decorated with frescoes by Pier Antonio Bernabei and his pupils.
Palaces
▪ The Palazzo della Pilotta (1583). It houses the Academy of Fine Arts with artists of the School of Parma, the Palatine Library, theNational Gallery, the Archaeological Museum, the Bodoni Museum[4] and the Farnese Theatre.
▪ The Ducal Palace, built from 1561 for Duke Ottavio Farnese on a design by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. Built on the former Sforza castle area, it was enlarged in the 17th–18th centuries. It includes the Palazzo Eucherio Sanvitale, with
▪ interesting decorations dating from the 16th centuries and attributed to Gianfrancesco d’Agrate, and a fresco by Parmigianino. Annexed is the Ducal Park also by Vignola. It was turned into a French-style garden in 1749.
▪ The Palazzo del Comune, built in 1627.
▪ The Palazzo del Governatore (“Governor’s Palace”), dating from the 13th century.
▪ The Bishop’s Palace (1055).
▪ Ospedale Vecchio (“Old Hospital”), created in 1250 and later renovated in Renaissance times. It is now home to the State Archives and to the Communal Library.
Other
▪ The Teatro Farnese was constructed in 1618–1619 by Giovan Battista Aleotti, totally in wood. It was commissioned by Duke Ranuccio I for the visit of Cosimo I de’ Medici.
▪ The Cittadella, a large fortress erected in the 16th century by order of Duke Alessandro Farnese, close to the old walls.
▪ The Pons Lapidis (also known as Roman Bridge or Theoderic’s Bridge), a Roman structure in stone dating from Augustus reign.
▪ The Orto Botanico di Parma is a botanical garden maintained by the University of Parma.
▪ The Teatro Regio (“Royal Theatre”), built in 1821–1829 by Nicola Bettoli. It has a Neo-Classical facade and a porch with double window order. It is the city’s opera house.
▪ The Auditorium Niccolò Paganini, designed by Renzo Piano.
▪ The Museum House of Arturo Toscanini, where the famous musician was born.
▪ Museo Lombardi. It exhibits a prestigious collection of art and historical items regarding Maria Luigia of Habsburg and her first husband Napoleon Bonaparte; important works and documents concerning the Duchy of Parma in the 18th and 19th centuries are also kept by the Museum.
Forget all the old jokes about the ancient rivalry between Lucca and pisa. Not only is it the latest idea to promote both cities as a joint tourist destination, but this year, the annual concert for San Michele in Lucca will feature choirs from Lucca and Pisa combining in harmony.
On 25 September in Lucca, repeated on 26 September in pisa, audiences can hear the Polifonica Lucchese, the Società Corale Pisana and members of the vocal group Stereo Tipi come together to perform Braham’s towering choral work, the Deutsches Requiem
The initiative comes jointly from Egisto Matteucci, musical director of the Polifonica Lucchese and Gianpaolo Mazzoli, maestro of the Società Corale Pisana and also Director of Lucca’s prestigiuos music school, the Istituto Boccherini. In the version of the Requiem for two pianos and timpani, the choirs will be joined by pianists Carlo Palese and Simone Soldati and timpanist David Mazzei. the solo vocal parts are taken by two favourites with Lucca audiences, Korean soprano Hye Won Nam, and lucchese bass Francesco Facini.
First performed in 1868, when Brahams was 34 years old, the Deutsches Requiem, so called because it was written with German (rather than Latin) text, has been variously described as ” a masterpieces of exceptional vision”, a masterful fusion of new and old techiniques and by Clara Schuman as ” a truly tremendous piece of art”. It was dedicated by Brahams to his mother and to Robert Schuman, both of whom had recently died, but also “to humanity in general”.
Concerto per San Michele, at Church of San Michele in Foro, Lucca at 5.30 pm on Saturday 25 September, tickets at the door, euro 10,00. In Pisa on Sunday 26 in the Church of San francesco at 9 pm.
The Adventures of Pinocchio comes to life in Italy’s Pinocchio Park, in the village of Collodi. Carlo Collodi, Pinocchio’s creator, took his pen name from Collodi, birthplace of his mother. The park tells Collodi’s version of the Pinocchio story through sculpture, mosaics and puppet shows.
Pinocchio Park is a great place to take kids. A winding path leads visitors through the Village of Pinocchio as they encounter statues of characters from the story.
The park also has a snack bar and picnic area, amusement park for small children, a theater for puppet shows, and a museum and gift shop. There’s even an internet train to keep the parents occupied.
Pinocchio Park is open every day, 8:30 to sunset.
The medieval hillside village of Collodi, 17km northeast of Lucca in Tuscany, is an interesting place to visit, too. Also in Collodi, near Pinocchio Park, is the Garzoni Garden. A combination ticket is available to visit both places.
Garzoni garden is a beautiful Baroque garden with pools, waterfalls, statues and a maze. From the entrance, the garden unfolds before your eyes, creating a magnificent scene. The Garzoni garden is considered to be one of the best gardens not only in Tuscany but in all of Italy.
Garzoni Castle dates from the early 1600’s and was built by the powerful Garzoni family from Pescia who were sent into exile. They decided to build a villa in Collodi near the ancient border of the Republic of Lucca. By 1652 the garden was laid out in its present form.
Garzoni Garden is in the village of Collodi, 17km northeast of Lucca. You can buy a combination ticket to visit both Garzoni Garden and the nearby Pinocchio Park. The garden is open all year from 9:00 until sunset but from November 15 – March 15 it’s only open on weekends and holidays.
