Piazza Napoleone: Lucca's Grand Square

Piazza Napoleone, often called Piazza Grande by locals, has been at the heart of Lucca's political and social life for centuries. Though its current form dates back to the early 19th century, the site's importance stretches back much further. In 1322, Castruccio Castracani, a powerful leader, built the Augusta Fortress and a palace here. However, the people of Lucca destroyed these structures in 1370 after Castracani's expulsion. It wasn't until the Napoleonic era that the square took on its present shape. Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleon's sister and Princess of Lucca from 1805 to 1815, dedicated the square to her brother and initiated a complete redesign. The redesign, led by architects Giovanni Lazzarini and Pierre-Theodore Bienimé, prioritized the Palazzo Ducale. To create the grand space, surrounding houses, warehouses, a tower, the archive, workshops, and the Church of San Pietro Maggiore were demolished. Sycamore trees were planted to frame the square. After the Congress of Vienna, Maria Luisa, Duchess of Lucca, commissioned Lorenzo Nottolini to renovate the Palazzo Ducale and Lorenzo Bartolini to sculpt a statue for the square. Today, Piazza Napoleone is a vibrant hub. The Palazzo Ducale, which occupies the west side of the square, houses provincial offices. In the summer, the square hosts cultural events and concerts, such as the Lucca Summer Festival. Archaeological excavations in 1998 revealed the foundations of buildings destroyed during the Napoleonic era, which can be viewed through glass blocks along the square's edge.