Inhabitants in 1991: 7.336
The
territory of Bagni di Lucca in the Val di Lima, extends for 164,65 square
kilometres,. For the most part in an area of high hills and mountains,
on the southern slopes of the Tosco Emiliano Apennines. Over the years
it has suffered several modifications to its borders reaching its present
day aspect in 1897, when it aggregated the district of Fornoli, detached
from the municipality of Borgo a Mozzano.
Bagni di Lucca, called for a long time Bagno a Corsena, was originally
inhabited by Ligurian tribes – as is attested by the Necropolis
of Montefegatesi, in the high valley of the river Fegana – and subsequently
by Roman colonies. Mentioned for the first time in the Pisa
chronicles of Guidone da Corvaia, in 983 it became the dominion
of the Lords Fraolmo. In the XIII century under the direct jurisdiction
of Lucca, Bagni di Lucca was inserted into the Vicariate of Val di
Lima and then subdivided at the beginning of the XIV century between this
and the Vicariate of Valleriana. For the great importance acquired
by the thermal baths, already noted in the Medieval era and described
by, among others, Montaigne and da Heine, Bagni di Lucca became the
summer Vicariate Seat from 1446 and the permanent Seat from 1685,
reaching greater expansion and importance during the principality of the
Baciocchi. With their successor Carlo Ludovico di Borbone, who stayed
there often, its renown increased and with it the cosmopolitanism of the
thermal station, destination of the nobles, men of letters and artists.
During the battle for Liberation, Bagni di Lucca was the theatre of a
tenacious resistance and had to bear attacks and reprisals from the
Germans, like that which took place in July 1944 against the district
of Montefegatesi, which ended with the sad balance of several deaths among
the partisans and about ninety people being deported. In the same month
in Ponte a Serraglio, the Germans captured and barbarically killed thirteen
partisans.
Places to visit: Bagni alla Villa, principal district
which includes the most ancient nucleus of the town. Casinò
Municipale, elegant construction of 1840, which represented the
period of greatest renown of the little town. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |