Lucca

Lucca, a province of north Italy, extending northwards from the Arno; area 544 square miles. The soil is fertile, and the olive and other kinds of fruit are largely cultivated; the caper is a special product of this district. The chief town, Lucca, stands on a plain beside the Serchio, 11 miles N.E. of Pisa. The Duomo, a fine edifice dedicated to St. Martin, was begun in the 11th century; it contains some valuable paintings and interesting relics. There are several other handsome buildings, and a large number of churches, chiefly built of Carrara marble. The aqueduct of 459 arches, conveying water from the Pisan Hills, was constructed in 1820. Lucca is the seat of an archbishop. The celebrated mineral baths are situated in the valley of the Serchio, some 12 or 15 miles to the N. The silk manufacture, established here in the 11th century, is still thriving, and olive oil is exported in large quantities.