City walls, Lucca

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Whenever great walls are thought of, most people may say China has a great wall. Yes, but so does Italy. Lucca, has had a wall since the Roman times and has been updated and reinforced throughout history. Standing 40' high and 60' wide, enclosing the city with a circular 3 miles of protection, that today has become a beautiful parkland path.

This great wall of Lucca offers locals and tourists alike the fun way to see Lucca. You can walk, jog, run, bike, and even rollerskate this fabulous wall. When visiting Lucca, it is a must thing to do. The view of gardens on patios, the church bell towers, the winding streets, and the beauty of the buildings all take on a special feel from on high. The best part is that there are paths, not stairs, that you can walk to get to the top. A tourist treat when visiting Lucca.

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The fortifications that surround the historic part of the city date back to the early 16th century. When Lucca grew bigger, instead of tearing down the walls as it's been done in so many cities, the fortifications were left entirely intact and the rest of the city simply grew outside the walls, which of course greatly contributes to the unique atmosphere you find in the historic part of Lucca. Now that the fortifications don't serve any kind of defense purposes anymore, a track has been paved on top of the 12-feet-high walls that makes for an awesome bike path (see my Sports Travel tip!) or a really nice promenade, offering great views of both the city and the surrounding countryside. I thought it was especially fun to be there on a Sunday afternoon, when both tourists and locals meet up for a lazy stroll around the city. Going all the way around the fortifications allows you to see the old city's six gates and 11 bastions, covering a total distance of about 4 km.

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Although Lucca's main fortifications date back to the early 16th century, four gates and city walls were put up in the Middle Ages, made of wood and stone and covered with plaster. These old fortifications have for the most part been destroyed, but the Porta di San Gervasio, dating back to 1255, remains. The original city walls were about 12 m high, surrounded by a moat (you can still see the little canal next to Porta di San Gervasio). The gate, which consisted of two towers linked by a walkway, was at that time equipped with a drawbridge and people who were granted access to the city could enter through the gate's 8-m-tall arched doorway. The Porta di San Gervasio has now partly been converted into private residences.

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The historical center of Lucca is surrounded by well preserved ramparts. These were built in four stages. At the beginning they were constructed in Roman times. Later the walls were rebuilt between XI and XII centuries. The third phase of the building began in the XVI century and finished in 1544. The present construction dates from 1547 to 1650.

The walls are 12 meters tall. The top of the walls are paved and lined with trees. You can walk or cycle on them.

From the walls you can enjoy various nice areas of Lucca.

Lucca still has its complete circuit of medieval walls, an imposing sight for any visitor. These walls are among the thickest of any that I saw in Europe. The Romans constructed the first set of walls, with four gates. Then, the town built new ones in the 11th and 12th centuries, some of which remain visible today. The 17th century saw the last major wall construction. If you have time, take a stroll all the way around the walls.

Most of Italian towns had town walls but most of them were destroyed either thanks to Napoleon or thanks to Mussolini or thanks to local administrators in the 60's. I cannot understand how Lucca's walls could survive but I am very happy about it.

They are very well preserved and you can joint every type of sport activities there; running, biking, rollerblades or walking. Of course you can have a pic-nic. I suggest you to rent a bike.

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There are many things going on at the City walls. By day you can hire bikes which is an incredibly popular thing to do in the whole of Lucca. While I was there, there was a farmers market, stalls, street performers... quite lively! By night it's good for a romantic stroll, though you'll have to try to ignore the rather passionate teenagers with their boyfriends and girlfriends, I found it pretty funny how open they were, though I guess us Irish aren't renowned for being openly romantic?! haha

The walls are stunning though, treelined and just a generally relaxing place to be. My brother in law went for an early morning run around them each morning so if you're feeling energetic you could try that too! (Not for me though haha)

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Lucca's ancient walls are a very popular place to walk. For that matter, they are a good place to bicycle, jog or just plain stroll. Wide and tree lined, the view from the walls inside or outside of the city is terrific.

The distance around the ramparts is approximately 4 km if you're keeping track. Perfect exercise for that last gelato you had in the afternoon.