Lucca

Lucca was one of the great city-states of Italy, and was independent (with a few exceptions) from 1160 until Napoleon conquered it during the French Revolutionary Wars.

Lucca is encircled with walls, similar to Ferrara. Our hotel was next to this massive gate in town.

Lucca's churches are incredibly ornate; not only did it have its own great artists, but was able to poach artisans from nearby Florence and Pisa as well.

Lucca Cathedral is almost 1000 years old and is dedicated to St. Martin.

The Church of St. Giovanni dates back to the 4th century, and was originally a Roman bath.

Lucca loves colorful colonnades.

The Shrine of the Sacred Face of Lucca

AAAAAAHHHHHHH!

I guess the Visconti must have helped pay for the church.

A labyrinth from the 12th or 13th century

An ancient drain

A statue of Maria Luisa, a Spanish Infanta that ruled Etruria before Napoleon, was deposed, then ruled Lucca after his deposition. Her statue, ironically, is in the Piazza Napoleon; Napoleon's sister ruled Elisa ruled Lucca while Napoleon was Emperor.

San Michele in Foro was mostly built in the 13th century.

More crazy colonnades!

Nice mosaic

One of Lucca's squares used to be a Roman amphitheater.

A derpy Lucca lion

A strange house in central Lucca

Shoulder lions are the best lions.

An ornate Roman column from Lucca

The Lombards had a tough time portraying animals.

The 7th-13th centuries really struggled with aesthetics.

This 15th century wooden inlay seems very modern.

Putti of Nightmares

The Allegory of Lucca's Liberty from 1611

Guinigi Tower was built in the 1300s and has holm oak trees on top of it.

What a great spot to survey Lucca.