We have been told Lucca is a nice little town not far from Pisa – so we catch a train trom Pisa – a 30 minute train journey.
We are here on a saturday – so it is very busy – usual cathedrals / bell towers etc – we decide to by pass them while we explore the rest of the town.
Very nice town – a walled city – well preserved behind a mound of earth / brick wallls ( a bit like a dyke).
After lunch we visit the cathederal, museums and archeological sites.
The most interesting was, Chiesa e Battistero di San Giovanni e Santa Reparata, where they had excavated under a large church – completely removing the floor of the church for an archeological dig (revealing parts mosaic floors, parts of buildings, walls etc) then re-building a suspended tiled floor (steel beams) so that tourists could go below the church to inspect all the archeological diggings.
Later on in the day we stumbled across a cross bow competition. The competitors were aiming at the centre of a dart board about 50 metres away. Very powerful and a little bit scarry- the darts moved with lightening speed and arrow needed to be prized out with a hammer. Very dangerous and not too much occupational health and safety.
One of the churches in Lucca
Wedding car at local church
Lucca Cathedral – impressive
Aquaduct
Cross bows
Inside the Chiesa e Battistero di San Giovanni e Santa Reparata church – where they had replaced the floor of the church
Another bell tower with trees growing at the top
Lucca Cathedral San Martino and Bell Tower – well worth a visit
Views over Lucca from the bell tower
Ouside of the church where floor had been replaced
Italy 2019 