The walls of Lucca are a reason of pride and they are the second most important example of city walls in Europe, which were built according to modern techniques, after Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus.

The walls are 4.223 kilometres long and they were built between May 7th 1504 and and 1648.

Luckily the fortification was never used for defensive purposes; it is made up of 12 curtains and 11 ramparts.

You can access the historical centre through six gateways (e.g. Porta Santa Maria) located in different strategic places, while three gateways are inside the city walls.

The walls became the favourite freetime/fitness area for the residents of Lucca when Maria Luisa di Borbone-Spain (on throne from 1815 to 1824) decided to turn this place into the green “living room” of the city.

Recently the Walls of Lucca have been an unconventional background for the world famous rock event, the Rolling Stones concert in 2017, and for the traditional pacific invasion of the cosplayers who came over for Lucca Comics and Games.