Tag: amphitheater

Amphitheater Square in Lucca, the city’s heart.
While walking through the historic center of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy, I reached one of the city’s most recognizable places: Amphitheater Square, one of the places worth seeing when visiting Lucca. Its elliptical shape, surrounded by colorful houses and historic buildings, makes this square a unique sight among Italian urban spaces.
As soon as I entered Amphitheater Square, I felt how strongly history is still present here, with the ancient Roman origins and everyday life of the city existing side by side. I wanted to capture this view with my camera because the unusual shape of the square is best understood by looking at the entire space, where the buildings still follow the outline of the ancient amphitheater.
Amphitheater Square is located in the heart of Lucca’s historic center and takes its name from the Roman structure that once stood here. In ancient times, this was the site of an amphitheater built around the second century AD, and although the original structure has disappeared, its shape remains clearly visible in the arrangement of the surrounding buildings.
One interesting detail about Amphitheater Square is how its role changed through the centuries. A place originally created for Roman public spectacles became a residential area, with houses built along the ancient perimeter. Today, simply observing the curved line of the buildings allows visitors to understand part of Lucca’s long history.
If you are visiting Lucca and looking for what to see in the historic center, Amphitheater Square is a place worth discovering slowly. It is not only an archaeological reminder of the Roman past but also a lively space where people meet, walk, and enjoy the atmosphere of the city.
This photograph continues my personal visual story of Lucca, following the images I shared of San Michele in Foro Church, San Martino Cathedral, and other corners I discovered while exploring the old town. Every photograph captures a different detail of a city that continues to surprise me even after several visits.
Sometimes the most famous places are also the ones that offer new perspectives when observed carefully.

Have you ever walked inside Amphitheater Square in Lucca? Add a comment or go to the bottom of the site to read what other visitors have written.

Photos taken with a Canon EOS M100 camera and Canon EF-S 10-18 lens.

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It was not until the 19th century, through the work of the architect Lorenzo Nottolini from Lucca, that a decision was made to redevelop the ancient structure. The arena space was cleared of the small buildings that had crowded it, and the “Via dell’Anfiteatro” was opened, tracing the structure’s elliptical profile along the outside.