Grand Tour of Italy: Lucca

By now, you should have this map memorized:

The afternoon we went to Pisa, we went to Lucca first in the morning.

They're only 19 km apart, so it was a no-brainer.

The very first thing we saw as we entered the city was the Basilica of San Frediano.

It sits on the Piazza San Frediano, built in 1112-1147.

In the 13th century the golden mosaic was added,

representing The Ascension of Christ the Savior with the apostles below.

And all we did was walk pass it, with only enough time to snap these photos (above)!

We continued walking, on a mission, passing things that caught my eye, 

like the terrace on another piazza (right-center)...

which happens to be the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro.

[Wiki image]

Don't you love the AGE of these old, Medieval cities!

We even passed the statue honoring Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), born in Lucca 

and called "the greatest composer of Italian opera after Verdi."

But our mission that day was another basilica:  the San Michele in Foro,

first mentioned in 795, built over the ancient Roman forum.

It's dedicated to the Archangel Michael.

I was fascinated by the front facade, seeing it from the back.

I see "the stairway to heaven," don't you?!

While the others stopped to eat lunch at a café by the corner of the church,

Astrid and I walked around it....

and then went inside.  That was more important to us than eating!

(We had brought fruit and nuts, which was enough.)

Do you see anything missing...like maybe...pews/chairs?

But there's an altar...

and, yes, a pulpit and organ!

What more could you ask for!

Astrid and I don't need to know what every little thing is or means,

because we know we're going to forget it anyway (which is what Google is for).

We were in Lucca for only 2 hours before getting back on the bus to Pisa.

But are we glad we got to see it?  Are you kidding me?  How can we forget it!