LUCCA VILLAS |
CONDIVIDI SU
The Lucca Villas, so called palace-in-villa, were built between the XV and the XIX century as summer residences, in alternative to winter residences in town, by some of the most noble families of Lucca. The structure of these villas reflect the criterion of a work of art: wide gardens, porches, lounges, frescoes and statues, parks with fountains and small lakes. In building these villas, among vineyards and olive trees, these families had only pure beauty as a reference. Visitors are in touch with a perfect integration among architecture, landscape, agriculture and traditional activities, merged in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. In the XVII century the Republic of Lucca welcomed its guest offering the Villas Tour, in order to show the most beautiful ones among over 300 villas scattered around the hills. Later on, visitors of the Gran Tour that stopped over in town did not miss the visit of some of the most beautiful residences of the area.
Today the Villas are one of the most important attraction of the area. Armony of renaissance buildings, splendour of its luxurious architecture and gardens, neoclassical structures as well as the apparent simplicity of parks, all these elements are all perfectly represented in the Villas around Lucca. Their dimension are not that huge, but only because they were not ordered by popes or sovereigns (except Villa Reale), but by rich merchants who wanted to reinvest in land all the fortune they had cumulated by the silk trade and banking activities. These Villas were a holiday resort, but also a real farm: that’s why the peaceful and rural atmosphere always overrides the luxury and pomp.
Nowadays, the Villas open to public are:
- Villa Bernardini: the only 1600 Villa that still maintains a wonderful outdoor green theatre ( so called teatro di verzura) with 400 seats. The Villa is still fully equipped with original furnishing. Visit of interior and gardens.
- Villa Grabau: important for its great botanical variety , with orangerie and lemon trees. Visit of interior and gardens.
- Villa Mansi: summer residence of the richest Lucca family, whose gardens were designed by the famous architect Filippo Juvarra. Visit of the interior, not furnished.
- Villa Oliva: one of the renaissance residence of the rich Buonvisi family. Visit of the beautiful gardens.
- Villa Reale: from 1805 this was the favourite residence of Princess Elisa Baciocchi Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister. Visit of the wide park and fantastic gardens, with its green open theatre where played the famous violinist Paganini. Interior not open to public.
- Villa Torrigiani: spectacular baroque Villa. It still has beautiful gardens, intact in their original structure, rich in water games. The interior is fully furnished.
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