点评:It is well known that during the transition from the Middle Ages to the early modern era, following the widespread use of heavy artillery, fortifications in Europe evolved towards the so-called "alla moderna" (modern style) type. This means a shift from long curtain of tall, thin walls, interspersed with equally tall towers, to massive, squat walls, generally wider and lower, built to withstand artillery fire. Above all, they were alternating with frequent "bastions", ie appendices tending towards a pentagonal shape, designed to keep attackers who attempted to approach the walls under the crossfire of the defenders' artillery.
The main architects of this technological transition are considered to be the Italians Antonio and Giuliano da Sangallo (15th century), the Dutchman Menno van Coehoorn, and the Frenchman Sébastien de Vauban (17th century).
The walls of Lucca are an extraordinarily well-preserved example of "modern" urban fortification, especially conceived for a large city.
The motivation for this demanding undertaking was the Republic of Lucca's determination — strengthened since the early 16th century — to counter threats (real or perceived) against the city-state coming from its neighbors: the Medici Grand Duchy of Tuscany, which, by the mid-16th century, by the conquest of Siena, encompassed most of present-day Tuscany; the Este Duchy of Modena and Reggio, which since the mid-15th century had expanded south of the Apennines and also controlled much of the Garfagnana (i.e., the Serchio River valley above Lucca); and the Malaspina Duchy of Massa and Principality of Carrara.
The current appearance of the walls, with few additions and modifications, is more or less that resulting from their construction, which lasted for many decades, between 1513 and 1645.
The Lucca walls escaped then the destruction of the ancient city walls that became widespread across Europe between the late 18th and late 19th centuries. Their early use as a recreational and ornamental area for the city (especially under Duchess Maria Luisa of Bourbon's rule, 1815-1824) made the walls an asset early felt as their own by the majority of the population. This feeling gradually strengthened as, due to the aforementioned destruction, walls like those of Lucca became increasingly rare in Europe, and fortifications became the city's most distinctive feature.
The function of the walls and bastions as a recreational area was further strengthened by the ban on motorized traffic in the late 1980s.
Today, some of the walls' evocative underground sections are also accessible through guided tours at scheduled times. Furthermore, since 2024, a permanent exhibition, "Ri-conoscere le mura" (Recognizing the Walls), has been set up in part of the underground area — and is constantly expanding — as an effective tool for promoting understanding of them.
翻译:众所周知,从中世纪向近代过渡期间,随着重炮的广泛使用,欧洲的防御工事逐渐演变为所谓的“alla moderna”(现代风格)类型。这意味着建筑形式从由高大纤细的城墙与同样高大的塔楼交错构成的长条形壁垒,转变为更为厚实低矮的墙体——这些墙体通常更宽也更矮,旨在抵御炮火轰击。最重要的是,这些墙体之间还分布着大量“棱堡”。这些附属结构呈五边形,其设计目的就是让试图接近城墙的攻击者陷入守军炮火的交叉火力之中。
这一技术变革的主要推动者被认为是意大利人安东尼奥·达·桑加洛与朱利亚诺·达·桑加洛(15世纪)、荷兰人梅诺·范·科霍恩,以及法国人塞巴斯蒂安·德·沃邦(17世纪)。
卢卡的城墙堪称“现代”城市防御工事中保存极为完好的典范。专为大型城市而设计。
这项艰巨工程的动机,源于卢卡共和国自16世纪初起便日益坚定的决心——抵御来自周边邻国的(真实或潜在的)威胁。这些邻国包括:美第奇家族统治的托斯卡纳大公国,该国在16世纪中叶通过征服锡耶纳后,已控制了如今托斯卡纳地区的大部;以及埃斯特家族统治的摩德纳和雷焦公国。自15世纪中叶起,该政权的势力便向亚平宁山脉以南扩张,还控制了加尔法尼亚纳的大部分地区(即卢卡上方的塞尔基奥河谷);此外还有马尔阿斯皮纳家族统治的马萨公国与卡拉拉亲王国。
如今的城墙面貌——仅有少量添加与改动——基本上就是历经数十年、于1513年至1645年间修筑后的原貌。卢卡的城墙得以躲过18世纪末至19世纪末期间在欧洲各地普遍发生的古城墙拆除风潮。由于这些城墙很早就被用作城市的休闲与美化空间(尤其是在波旁王朝的玛丽亚·路易莎女公爵统治时期,即1815年至1824年),它们很快便被视为全体市民共有的宝贵财富。随着前述那些城墙拆除现象的日益频繁,这种认同感也随之逐渐增强。像卢卡那样的城墙在欧洲越来越少见,这些城墙也成了这座城市最显著的特征。
20世纪80年代末,由于实施了机动车禁入措施,城墙与炮台作为休闲区的功能得到了进一步强化。
如今,部分富有历史韵味的地下城墙段也可通过定时举办的导览活动供游客参观。此外,自2024年起,这里还设立了名为“Ri-conoscere le mura”(重新认识城墙)的常设展览。该设施设在地下区域的一部分——且仍在不断扩建中——作为促进人们对它们了解的有效工具。