The festival of the city history organized by the Municipality of Lucca 20-21-22 JUNE 2025 Urban Walls Lucca is a city with over two thousand years of history, studded with extraordinary events that have engraved its name in the Timeline. Lucca Historiae Fest wants to tell this journey using the bastions of the Walls as a clock of time. A journey through history in a turn of the hands. The history of Lucca as it has never been told.

Multi-era historical reconstruction and multimedia tools to travel through Lucca over the centuries

2000 years of Lucca's history told through nine bastions where as many historical reconstructions will be set up to retrace the various eras that have characterized the city. MORE INFO

From the origins to Roman Lucca

Where: Baluardo San Paolino

The first settlements in the area can be attributed to the Celtic-Ligurian populations who will see them alternate with the Etruscans in the dominion over the territory. Starting from 180 BC Lucca becomes a Roman colony and the construction of the walls and the city begins, which will be the basis of future urban developments.

The Lombard Duchy

Where: Baluardo San Donato

After the fall of the Roman Empire, after the Ostrogoth and Byzantine parentheses, in 570 AD Lucca also comes under the control of the Lombards who for two centuries will govern the city placed as the capital of the Duchy of Tuscia.

From Charlemagne to Matilda of Canossa

Where: Baluardo Santa Croce

With the arrival of Charlemagne in Italy, after defeating the Lombards in 774, Lucca passed under the control of the Franks who established the Marquisate of Tuscia. The city remained the capital of Tuscany until 1056 when the Canossa family moved it to Florence. With the death of Matilda in 1115 the Marquisate began to disappear, leaving the field open to the affirmation of the various municipal autonomies.

The Municipality, Castruccio, Freedom

Where: Baluardo San Martino

The free Municipality was officially born in 1160 with the renunciation by the marquis of his rights over the city. In the 14th century Lucca experienced its greatest moment of strength and consequently the darkest period of its history. Under the lordship of Castruccio Castracani the city reached its maximum expansion, seriously threatening Florence. Upon the death of the leader in 1328 Lucca suffered 40 years of foreign occupation that would end only in 1369 with the rediscovered Libertas.

The new cities and the families of Lucca

Where: Baluardo San Pietro

After regaining its freedom, the city reorganized itself into a new structure based on the districts of San Paolino, San Salvatore and San Martino. In 1400 Paolo Guinigi, belonging to a wealthy family of merchants and bankers, became lord of Lucca. The important families of Lucca would characterize city life for centuries by weaving relationships between the city and the main European centers.

The walls, the wars of Italy, the Reformation

Where: Baluardo San Salvatore

With the advent of gunpowder, Lucca also had to evolve its defenses. The medieval walls were not structured to withstand the impact of artillery fire and for this reason in the 16th century the construction of today's city walls was decided. Begun in 1544, the works were not completed until 1650.

Lucca and Napoleon

Where: Baluardo La Libertà

Following his successes in Italy, Napoleon established the Principality of Lucca and Piombino in 1805. The new princess of the city was Elisa Bonaparte, the French emperor's favorite sister. The arrival of the troops in Lucca.

From the Congress of Vienna to the Unification of Italy

Where: Baluardo San Regolo

After the fall of Napoleon, Lucca was occupied by Austrian troops. With the Congress of Vienna, the city was assigned to the Bourbons and the Duchy of Lucca was born. The centuries-old independence of Lucca ended in 1847 when Duke Carlo Ludovico ceded the city to Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany. In 1859, the people of Lucca voted convincingly for annexation to the Kingdom of Italy.

"Italians yes, but Tuscans no".

Between the two wars

Where: Baluardo San Colombano

Reconstruction of the Second World War period by Associazione Linea Gotica Lucca.