The city of Lucca was originally inhabited by the Ligurians, followed by the Etruscans. In 180 B.C. it became a Roman colony. This was a period of splendour for the town because of its strategic position: the most important roads of the Roman Empire such as the Cassia, the Aurelia and the Clodia, intersected just outside Lucca.
 The geometrical layout of the town and the Roman Forum can be dated back to this period.
Lucca became a free city in 1162 and in the following centuries it knew a new period of riches and splendour thanks to its banking and manufacturing activities and its trades with the rest of Europe and the East. Many of the beautiful luxury buildings and towers still visible today are a sign of the prosperity Lucca enjoyed in this period.
In the first half of the XV century Lucca was ruled by Paolo Guinigi who improved the city’s art and architecture. Many important buildings made such as Palazzo Guinigi were commissioned by him, as is the wonderful sarcophagus of his wife, Ilaria del Carretto, which was made by Jacopo della Quercia and is displayed in the Church of San Frediano in the city centre.
In the XV and XVI centuries the town struggled to maintain its independence from the nearby powerful Florence, as a result, newer and stronger town walls were erected. The urban shape of the city was altered and expanded completely, as some old buildings and towers were replaced by new stately mansions with towers along the most important streets of the town.
In 1799 Lucca underwent Napoleonic rule, which lasted 12 years. The town enjoyed an important role in the Napoleonic Empire as it was ruled by Napoleon’s sister Elisa, wife of Felice Baciocchi. They lived in the Palazzo Pubblico in the city centre, which today boasts the city’s largest public square, the Piazza Napoleone. After the Congress of Vienna in 1814, Lucca was ruled by Parma.It was during this period that the architect Lorenzo Nottolini planned the public squares and the quarters of the town, and created the promenade along the city walls.
In 1847 Lucca became part of the Grand Duchy of Toscana, and in 1861 became part of the Reign of Italy.
Within the city walls the gems of Lucca can be found by strolling through the twisting streets and myriad piazzas. There are 99 churches within the walls of Lucca, many of them dating from the 1100’s. Masterpieces by artists such as Tintoretto, Ghirlandaio, Pisano, Citivali and Botolomeo can be seen in the and the museums of the city The Duomo San Martino also houses the Holy relic Volto Santo – a carved effigy of Christ’s crucifixion allegedly made by Nicodemus, an eyewitness to the event.
There is much to do and discover in Lucca, most notably in Piazza Anfiteatro, the oval piazza in the heart of the ancient city walls built on the foundations of the original Roman amphitheatre, now lined with cafes and boutiques.
The Guinigi Tower is one of the few towers remaining of the 250 that originally graced the city centre, built as status symbols by noble families. The Guinigi Tower is immediately recognisable by the seven trees planted on it, and the steep climb up to the top allows for a stunning view of the city of Lucca and its surrounding countryside.
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